House of the Horde
by Raggdolly
Summary: Bella endures the dark side of LA. After being abducted and taken into the Hollywood Hills, she learns that humans are not at the top of the food chain. Can she escape or will she fall victim to a treacherous vampire? ExB/OOC/Dark Themes/No rape
1. The Wrong Prince

DISCLAIMER: All characters are the sole property of Stephenie Meyer. No profit is or will ever be made from this down-right, poorly-written, horrible fan-fiction.

* * *

**HOUSE OF THE HORDE**

**Vv~~vV**

There are said to be monsters living in Los Angeles county. Some will steal your money, others your heart, then there are those who want your soul.

They come in many forms, and Bella Swan believes she knows about all of them, but that is about to change with a chance meeting, or is it chance at all?

Stolen away to the darkest recesses of Hollywood, Bella will question everything she has known as she faces a new type of monster.

Can she escape, or will she fall victim to a lethal vampire?

**Rating:**

_M_

**Warnings:**

_Language_

_Some sexual content_

_Violence_

_(no rape scenes)_

**Genre:**

_Horror/Suspense_

**Additional:**

_OOC/AU/Vamp & Human/"Darkward"_

. . .

**| |. . . E. . . | |**

. . .

It felt like a cool, gentle breeze pushed my hair away from my face, but it was his fingertips on my neck. I turned, preparing to push him away or dig my nails into his face, but his iron hands seized my wrists and twisted them both behind my back. He roped my hair into his other, wringing it around his fingers and palm, pulling my head. A vice. I couldn't move, couldn't fight. My throat became an involuntary invitation.

I could only gasp and watch him inch closer, his dark, red eyes on mine, his lips parted and his hair wild from our skirmish. His grip stole the breath from my lungs and time slowed as I was forced to concentrated on every sensation.

I felt the tip of his nose as it searched my throat; his breath cold and erratic, almost desperate. Then, lips dragged against my skin, and the world stood still. His breathing halted. His mouth parted further.

|. . . : . . .|

**I**

_**The Wrong Prince**_

|. . . : . . .|

The movie was Night of the Living Dead.

The company was Jessica Stanley.

The reason? Jessica hated her roommate.

I hated her roommate, too. Not only because she was a bitch, but she drove Jessica to my door at the most inconvenient times (like when I had homework), begging me to let her in. I didn't have one, a roommate that is, and I worked hard to keep it that way just to avoid those annoying incidents that Jessica went through.

Most of the time, I tried to resist the temptation from the endless stream of books and papers. It didn't help that pizza and beer were in usually in tow. She knew how to reel me in every time.

My freshman fifteen came from her. I was sure of it.

Tonight was no different. She showed up at my apartment door hauling pastries, Corona and a smile. I took the bribe like a dirty officer, having planned on watching a movie I borrowed from a guy in my art class after I finished my work anyway.

While I borrowed the movie, I had to decline his offer of coming over to watch it with me. He's nice enough, but the last thing I wanted was to be involved with a boy I knew nothing about, even after spending three-fourths a semester with him. My experience with my last boyfriend left me wary, but, at least I found out where all my underwear had disappeared to.

I sighed, finding I wasn't too interested in zombies. I tipped the Corona back on my lips. The slightly warm liquid made me shiver, but I wasn't the one to waste a good beer so I drank it, although not enjoying it since it had warmed from its chilled state.

A tiny fleck of something flew past. I looked over, finding Jessica staring with a slight smirk while she placed a few pieces of microwave popcorn in her mouth. She looked rather comfortable in her sweatpants and grungy UCLA long-sleeve shirt with her light hair sitting atop her head.

"How dare you," I said jokingly.

"You seem distant."

I shrugged. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired."

"Do you want me to head on home?"

"No, it's okay. I'll be fine."

"Okay."

A kernel hit my nose.

"Now you're just being annoying," I mumbled, picking up the intruding popcorn to eat it. Beer, pastries and popcorn? I would be sick later.

She laughed, and it was contagious.

When the gore was over, Jessica stood up and carried her two Corona bottles and crinkled popcorn bag into the kitchen.

Even though I was ready for her to leave, I felt bad she had to go back to her apartment. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" I asked as she grabbed her jacket and headed to the front door.

"Nah, I'll be okay. Hopefully Lauren's boy toy has already left."

"Well, if you want to come back over just text me or something and I'll come open the door for you."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I locked the door behind her, cleaned up the kitchen and put the throw pillows back on the couch in an orderly fashion. I sighed at the welcoming sight of my huge poster bed that took up almost the entire space. I barely had a place for my folded clothes, but I slept well. I was willing to make the sacrifice for the apartment.

It was not swanky or even remotely upscale, but the rent was reasonable, the landlord paid the utility bill and there was a washer and dryer downstairs. There are only a couple of downfalls to this place; it was on the second floor, which meant I had to carry heavy groceries up then go back down.

I pulled off my socks and jeans and slipped underneath the cold sheets then pulled my fluffy comforter to my nose to settle in. It didn't take me long to find the edge of that serene darkness. Most nights my head was a super highway of ideas, books, papers, or work, but tonight it was quiet.

Music started to blare from the apartment next to me, and I groaned in disgust, pulling the covers over my head. Should I smother myself under my pillow now or later? There's the second downfall. Him. It was a usual sign that my neighbor, Jacob, and his flavor of the night were about to start making a lot of noise. If he wasn't such a narcissist (and man whore) then he would be a decent guy because he is actually quite nice.

I had bumped into him on the stairs right after I moved in and he introduced himself. At the time, I thought he was really cute; his long black hair hung down on his shoulders, his dark skin and those big brown eyes. His reputation, which I had heard around campus, followed right behind him. What a waste of usable man space.

I tossed under my comforter as I digested the sounds against my will, listening to the horrid symphony that was ringing through the walls. All of his "dates" did seem to have one thing in common; they were really religious in the bedroom. Praise God!

I buried my head under the pillow.

Somehow, it managed to go on for hours and when three a.m. rolled around I became fed up. I slung the covers off and stomped across the floor to the wall exhausted and pissed off. My fist met the drywall a few times with a little more force than necessary in my hope that he would get the point.

His muffled yell of "sorry" came through the wall a few seconds later and I rolled my eyes as I crawled back in the bed, pulling my comforter up to my nose and curling up into a warm ball. I almost expected to hear the noise continue from him but nothing else came. The only thing assaulting my ears was the music. Music is something that I can deal with, but people having sex? I'll pass.

**|. . . : . . .|  
**

An incessant noise rang through-out my bedroom. My hand stumbled around in search for _snooze_. I finally slapped the right button and it ceased. I groaned heavily and rubbed my eyes with my fingertips then roughly stroked my cheeks with my palms. The friction helped somewhat and I opened my eyes to look at the time on my alarm clock.

Seven o'clock. The usual.

I moaned, stretching my legs and pushing my arms over my head. A refreshing burn crept through my body. I sat up, adjusted my eyes to the light and took a moment to myself before I devoted the rest of the day to people I didn't know.

A sweet girl, who was in my Intro to Computers class, Angela Weber, suggested I come to work with her at a local book-slash-cafe which was relatively close to campus. She said the hiring process is tedious but I was sure to get a position there given I had "useful intelligence and an infinite love of books".

Two weeks later, I was hired. So, I worked there during the day when I didn't have classes and some nights were given to Maguuma Stade Pub, a tiny hole in the wall bar and grill that attracted a lot of local attention. I worked there for the money, not necessarily because I enjoyed it. Waitressing at Maguuma was the job that paid the bills while The Book Store was my retreat away from school and rigorous homework. Not to mention, I got an employee discount.

I made the bed, took a shower and eyed my attire in the full-length closet mirror. Satisfied with my selection, I pulled the twenty dollar bill from the jeans I wore yesterday, then exited to the kitchen to grab the keys to my bike. I tucked my helmet underneath my arm.

Wind whipped through the breezeway, nearly slamming my door shut as soon as I exit.

"Bella," a familiar voice called.

I turned to see Jacob walking out of his apartment in a pair of faded denim – nothing else. I'll admit it was hard to not look at his abs.

"Hey, Jake," I said as I turned the locks over with my key.

"Hey. I just wanted to apologize for last night and the, ya know, noise. They can't really help it sometimes."

"It's no big deal," I lied. "It's not the first time it's happened."

He grinned. "I'm sorry for those times, too. I'm probably not an easy guy to live next to."

"Well, it's just I was tired last night and I can get irritated when I am awake too long," I said pulling out the kindness in my heart to avoid from stomping on his bare feet with my boot.

I stepped past him and made for the stairs, not really in the mood to have the conversation of his sex life and me listening to it through the walls.

"How about I make it up to you tonight?" he asked, following.

"Um, I'm not really sure Jake, I have to work at Maguuma tonight and probably won't be home until late. I'm usually pretty tired when I get home."

"How about tomorrow night?" He skipped down the stairs to stop me from going any further. I put my free arm out in front of me as a reaction and my fingertips came to rest on his cool, bare chest. He looked down at my hand placement then looked up at me. His eyes were dark, curious.

I quickly removed my fingers from him as he smirked.

"What did you have in mind exactly?" I asked.

"Well, we could watch a movie and have dinner, if you'd like. I've been told I make a mean Thai pasta. I'll even eighty-nine the meat for you."

I sighed and quirked an eyebrow. "What movie?"

"Ladies pick," he said and grinned wider. "So how about it? Will you let me make it up to you?"

"On one condition," I said and held up a finger.

"Anything."

"Put some clothes on when I come over. It's disgusting." I moved around him and continued my descent.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night?" he called out.

I held up a hand to gesture that he would and swung a leg over the seat of my yellow Suzuki. After placing the helmet on my head, I started it up, listening to the harsh hum. I had always wanted a motorcycle, but was never allotted a chance to own one since had I lived in one of the rainiest regions in the United States. Not to mention, my father, a police chief in a small town, but nevertheless a police chief, insisted that motorcycles were nothing but an accident waiting to happen.

I respectfully informed him on my decision to buy one when I made the move to LA. My argument was that they are relatively not that expensive and it's easier to park a bike than it is to park a car in this town. He tried to talk me out of it, worrying himself with the bad reputation and not the positives that I insisted he consider.

Regardless of how much he pursued me on my decision there was nothing he could do about it. It was my money that I had saved up working almost every day after school my junior and senior year of high school. I had planned to keep saving but then again, I had never planned to attend UCLA until last November.

It was always part of the plan to attend the University of Washington but after some shit with my mom and her nonsense arose, I decided that I had to get away from that unbearable woman and the University of Washington was _way_ too close.

I spent the morning stocking and categorizing until we opened then I tended to one of the registers while telling Angela about Jessica's incident with Lauren last night, not that it was anything new, then filled her in on Jake's offer. She seemed rather shocked that I agreed to go to his apartment. She knew Jake Black and his reputation with the girls on campus.

"So what is this, Bella?" she asked. "Finally giving in to the charms of Jake Black, are we?"

"Hell no," I said quietly. "He mentioned food, so how could I refuse?"

She chuckled. "I have a feeling that that's not the only thing you will be eating."

"Sorry but sausage is not on my menu… at least not _his_ sausage," I retorted and she laughed a little louder than appropriate. I gave our boss, Mrs. Williams, an apologetic glance after she glanced up from her inventory sheet down the counter. Angela covered her mouth and pushed on her glasses when a customer approached the registers. After she rang them up she turned to me again.

"You know he's going to try something, right? I don't think there has been a girl that has exchanged words with him that hasn't ended up walking funny the next day."

"I won't even let it get that far," I said. "If things are starting to go in that direction, I'll leave, simple as that."

"If you're able to."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just that he's very different from the other guys at school, not to mention gorgeous. The hair, the eyes, his voice." She paused for a moment, staring at the ceiling. "I mean who wouldn't want to climb on _that_?"

"Me, that's who. Do you?" I asked raising my eyebrows at the new revelation that came to me. The way she sighed while saying his features made me question if her disgust was really affection.

"Sometimes, I hope that he'll ask me out but I only have to remind myself that he's been with well over fifty girls, if not a hundred, then I'm turned off to the idea."

"Exactly. You should come stay with me for a few days and you'll put the whole idea of getting with him out of your head. The boy is a dog. I would never extend my relationship with him beyond being neighbors. If he needs to borrow a cup of sugar, I'll be glad to help out, but there is no way I'd would sleep with him."

Angela only smiled and nodded, seeming to be convinced of my declaration.

After my shift was over, I said good-bye to Angela, promising to call her after I left Jake's place tomorrow and give her the four-one-one on what happened. I made my way to Maguuma, which only took a few minutes then settled into a parking spot in front once I was there.

I was an hour early for my shift, so I shuffled inside and placed my helmet in the back office. The dining room of Maguuma was fun, to say the least, if not odd. The walls were dark green with red glass lamps hanging down from the ceiling, setting the lighting to a perfect glow. The rich, dark wooden tables were bare with simple condiments adorning the tops; salt, pepper and sugar. The tile was a dark gray, and it was real, none of that slick linoleum stuff.

I took a seat at a table and was approached by Siobhan, whose beauty was rivaled by her furious mouth. She didn't take shit from anybody and was often referred to as "The Bitch" by regulars. She was, however, very entertaining and could keep even the most collected person on their toes.

She pushed her blond bob behind her ears, not offering anything else other than a quick, "Hey, what do you want?" Her voice had a slight twang to it, but I couldn't pin point what her heritage was exactly.

I ordered my usual house salad with oil and vinegar on the side and a glass of tea with lemon. She brought it to me quickly and I sipped from my straw excitedly, quenching my parched throat that had been aching all day.

I savored the taste of the salad as much as I could but ended up eating it very quickly, not nearly slow enough to fill up the hour before my shift started. I drew idly on the receipt that Siobhan brought to me for forty-five minutes until it was time to don the black apron. My salad was a dollar and change, so I left Siobhan a five dollar bill, the exact coinage, and told her to keep the rest.

The night went by gracefully. Regulars came in and sat in my four table section and left quickly after eating. Tickets were up in the fifties, which was odd for a Thursday night but I didn't complain. People that I had waited on before usually tipped more than twenty percent. I'd like to think it was my charismatic personality. The turn time was great, and one hundred and fifty dollars later I was dancing in the kitchen, shuffling my feet without picking them up and pumping my arms at my sides.

"You make some money tonight, Swan?" Alistair, one of the cooks, asked me.

"Yup!" I continued to victory dance across the tile to the clank of last minute orders on the grill.

"It's oddly busy," Siobhan added, "for a Thursday."

"Bella," Bree said from the entrance of the kitchen, "I cleared off table five and I sat you again… and you're welcome."

"Thanks," I said. Usually when Bree said something like that it meant she placed some some good-looking guy in our section.

I pulled my food from expo and took it to a table where an older couple sat, staring at each other and holding hands amidst their drinks and condiments. I sat their food down, warning them that it was hot and left them after they said they didn't need anything else.

I turned to table five and was stopped when my gaze found that of a blonde man with intense blue eyes. The color was so strong, I wouldn't be surprised if they were his left-over Halloween lenses. I approached his table, feeling a little wary of his commanding presence even though he was sitting. His stare was intrusive.

I cleared my throat and tapped my pen nervously against my notepad which I had pulled from my apron. "Hey, what can I get you to drink?"

He intertwined his fingers and leaned into his elbows on the table. A low moan exited his parted lips then he said, "Surprise me."

I took him in for a second, assessing him and what he may like. His surfer-like appearance, pulled back hair and torn jeans, suggested to me that he was more of a beer man, but his grand posture, seductive stare, and worn brown leather jacket told me that he was more of a liquor man. So, I brought him a Beefeater gin and tonic. He eyed it speculatively and smirked.

"You're good." He brought the tumbler to his lips and took a sip.

"Would you like anything to eat?" I asked.

"No, thank you. Just this. I've already eaten tonight."

I smiled which was followed by a flash of heat. He seemed to notice my reaction and closed his eyes briefly then opened them again with a heavy intake of breath.

"Ma'am can we get the check?" a voice asked from behind me.

"Excuse me," I said then turned to hand the table behind me their bill. They handed me a credit card and I left to run it. When I came back through the nearly-empty restaurant, my eyes went to the table where the blonde was sitting. He was swirling his glass slowly, watching the ice clink against the sides. I handed the couple their check and credit card and wished them a great evening, then returned to his table to ask him if he wanted anything else, which was decidedly dumb since I had already asked him that a few minutes ago.

He simply shook his head and extended his hand to the seat across from him. "Would you like to sit?"

I couldn't decide if he was being sincere, or if it was a gesture that he knew I thought he was good-looking. "I can't. I'm sorry. I'll get in trouble."

"Of course. Well, in that case, could I bother you for one more?" He tapped the rim of his glass gently with his index finger.

"Sure. I'll be right back."

I turned to head back to the bar and heard him say, "Don't take too long."

I made quick work of getting him another gin and tonic and almost ran back to the table. I placed the glass in front of him and he drank the liquid in one gulp, which somehow was one of the sexiest things I had ever seen.

"So, Bella, do you always blush for strangers?" he asked staring me in the eyes.

"H-how do you know my name?" I stuttered, confused how he knew my name.

He reached across the space between us and flicked the plastic name tag that was positioned to the left of my apron.

"Oh." My blush, then, was from embarassment.

He picked up his glass. "I take that as a yes." A piece of ice slid to his mouth. His tongue came out and flicked it between his lips, sucking it briefly before allowing it to slide back down.

I didn't even know this guy's name and I wanted to be that ice. I wanted him to suck on me gently or rough, whichever he wanted.

"You're pretty," he said.

I wasn't expecting him to be straight-forward, so my response was delayed. "Thanks."

"I wouldn't mind taking you out one night."

"I don't really go out with strangers." One of the first rules I set for myself when I moved here.

"Well, I'm James," he said with a smile. "We're not exactly strangers anymore."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Believe me when I say the pleasure is all mine."

He closed his eyes as a breath escaped his mouth. I stared at him, entranced by his words and rendered speechless by the way his mouth moved when he said them. He was one of the most rustic and virile men I had ever seen. Something about him was so animalistic and predatory which turned on the box to all my nerves and begged for him to throw the switch. My pulse began to pick up as he leaned forward into his arms and pushed himself to the edge of his seat, like he felt the same way.

"How much do I owe you?" he whispered, ripping me away from the moment.

"What?"

"How much do I owe you for the drinks?"

"Oh, let me print out a receipt for you." I began to step away.

"No, that's okay. Here." He produced a fifty dollar bill from his pocket, set it on the table and rose from his chair in a quick, fluid movement. "Thank you for the drinks and the conversation. Just the kind of inspiration I needed for my night." He smiled.

"I can get you some change. It's no problem."

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you soon, Bella." With those words he was gone from the table and headed toward the front door.

"Um, you're welcome. Thanks for the tip," I responded.

"What was that about?" Siobhan asked behind me when he exited through the door.

"I dunno," I said quietly.

"Girl, he wanted you. I saw it across the restaurant."

I smiled and cleaned my section quickly, wanting to get home and go to sleep. It was after eleven o'clock and while my day had been decent, it was also long.

When I finally walked in the door of my apartment I locked up and went straight to my bedroom, pulling off my clothes and climbing underneath the cool sheets. Thankfully there was nothing to keep me awake.

As I dozed off, I thought of my interaction with James while dismissing the scratching sound at the window as my imagination running away with me.


	2. A Tragic Tale of Red Riding Hood

**II**

**_A Tragic Tale of Red Riding Hood_**

|. . . : . . .|_  
_

I have horrible luck when it comes to dreams, but doesn't everyone when they're in a dream they don't want to end?

James was in my latest, but when he opened his mouth to speak, the sound of my alarm clock blurted from his throat. At first, I was confused but as he began to slip away I realized my misfortune.

I was disappointed, to say the least. I fought the light trying destroy the beautiful images that I had been basking in, but parted ways with the remaining hues of crimson. I rolled over and stuck my head under my pillow, trying to retrieve the dream against the unnatural brightness, but I only caught a glimpse of James and the black fur cloak that clung to his back as he knelt on the bed.

I moaned. Seven o'clock. The usual time. I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to go to school today. I didn't want to do anything. I only wanted to go back to sleep and have the same dream over again.

I sighed heavily and slipped out of bed, wishing that I could skip class today but knowing it was impossible. It was Friday, and that meant something important would happen, which included the test of art concepts in Beginner Drawing, unless Mrs. Finnel forgot. She was a delusional, old woman so it's possible, or at least I could only hope.

I made the bed and fixed my pillows. I picked up the dirty clothes from last night and slung them into the hamper in the bathroom, and didn't worry about taking a shower. I'm not trying to impress anyone at school, there is no point in washing my hair then washing it again when I got back home before heading over to Jake's.

Ugh. Jake's apartment. The thought made me feel sick to my stomach.

I threw on my boots then stuffed Eric's movie into my backpack. I would be a probably be a few minutes late, but my class wasn't a far walk from my apartment building. I slipped out the front door and turned to lock it.

"Bella," Jake called.

"Hey," I responded, turning around. He was situated outside his door, hanging onto the frame in a pair of dark wash jeans and _still _no shirt.

"Still on for tonight, right?" he asked.

"If you put a shirt on."

"I just might for you," he shrugged, letting go of the frame and crossing his arms.

"Then, we might still be on for tonight." I was halfway down the steps when I stopped. When my parents would go to someone's house, they had always taken something to the host, to be polite. "Just out of curiosity, if I were to come over would I need to bring anything? Dessert, maybe?"

He peeked over the railing above me. "Nope, just yourself."

"Okay. Six o'clock, or so?" I started down the stairs again.

"Sounds about right, I might see you then."

The walk to the art department was refreshing. The fall weather was so different here compared to Washington. It was sunny and warm; not a cloud in sight. As pleasant as the weather was, I missed the rain. It reminded me of home, especially the smell. I could always tell when it was about to pour just by the smell of the air. The absence of rain always reminded me how homesick I really was..

I crossed the street to the art department, admiring the modern structure of glass and brick. The lines of the building were intriguing; protruding railings and upward flaps made it unique. Inside the building art was hung from every wall with colors more vibrant than anything that was outside the building. While I enjoyed the art, it's not my passion. A lot of the art buffs have asked me what the hell I'm doing here if I'm not going to major in art.

I had to assure them that it's not to be around their lovely personalities. If I had better ways to spend my time, I would do it, but the truth of the matter is drawing is a great skill to have for any architect. They conveyed that architecture is a form of art, and I was welcomed to the club – as if I needed their permission anyways.

The door to the room was still open, which I found rather odd and I walked in, searching for Mrs. Finnel but not seeing her. Eric Yorkie, was patiently waiting like a loyal Pomeranian. If he had a tail, it would be wagging. I allowed my bag to slide off my shoulder and onto the floor then sat down in my chair, wanting to drop off his radar.

"You lucked out this morning, Mrs. Finnel isn't even here, yet."

"I saw. That's kinda weird."

"Tell me about it," he said.

"Oh, I have your movie." I unzipped my bag to retrieve the DVD.

"Thanks! What did you think about it?" He asked taking it from me.

"It was pretty good, I guess."

"You guess?" He sounded shocked. "Bella, this is the greatest horror movie of all time!"

I smiled as he went off explaining his reasoning for why it was the greatest. I couldn't have cared less. I nodded as he spoke and in the process pulled my cell from my pocket, hoping to break away from the conversation. I decided to text Jessica.

_Howd things go w/ Lauren?_

I moved the time and date around until my phone buzzed with an incoming message. Eric had moved his conversation to someone behind us.

_He was gone when I got home. Thank GOD. I heard some gossip about you!_

A commotion sounded from the front of the class. Mrs. Finnel walked in carrying her briefcase on her padded shoulder and let it drop next to the idle canvas at the front of the room. "Sorry, I'm running behind. I couldn't get these papers printed off. I think the machine was broken but that's no never mind," she waved a slender hand. "Get out your writing utensils and ready yourselves."

I sent off my message before she had the chance to drop my test.

_Tell me later._

After class was dismissed, I collected my belongings and headed out the door. I called Jessica once I was outside the building.

"Calling to hear the dirt I got on you, huh?" she answered.

"I think I have a good idea what you're talking about," I said.

"So, why are you going over there? Going to get some sexin'?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Definitely not!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you? He's hot."

"As if that negates the fact that he's a slut."

"Oh my God, Bella. You are so perverse. So what if he's been in more girls than John Mayer."

"That's what turns me off, Jess. And perverse?"

"I'm just sayin'. You can't deny that he's fine."

"He's okay. And even his personality isn't bad, but him sleeping around..."

"I know. I know. Just roll a condom on him and hop on it."

"Jessica, you're the most awesome friend of all time, but that was the worst advice ever. Besides, I saw a guy last night that probably blows Jake out of the water."

"And you didn't call me? Again, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

By the time I explained to Jessica what happened at Maguuma last night I had reached my apartment. She wished me luck and let me go so I could get ready for my_hot date_ – her words not mine. I undressed and stood in front of the full-length mirror, assessing myself. It wouldn't hurt to go on more walks or hit the gym a little more, but when?

I took a shower, then dried and straightened my hair. I walked around naked for a little while as I straightened up the apartment, one of the many advantages to living alone. Freedom.

I dressed comfortably in jeans, a shirt, and my sneakers; applied my cherry lip balm and headed out the door. I knocked once on his apartment door and planned on knocking again until the door slung wide open. Jake stood on the other side with a wide grin tugging on his lips and a wooden spoon in one hand. I eyed him quickly, shocked that he was fully dressed. His had even pulled his hair back in a low ponytail.

"Good evening," he said, "come on in." He stepped out of the way and I crossed the threshold into his apartment silently with my hands folded in front of me. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the door meet the frame. No turning back now, I thought as I walked down the dimly lit hall. I took in his apartment, trying to distract myself. He had the same layout as me; a long entrance with a kitchen to the left with the breakfast room separated by the bar, and an open living room to the right.

I was impressed by his style and pieces of furniture that he had selected for his living room. It was usually thought that every man had to have a black leather couch as the primary attraction, where a ritual gathering would take place on football Sundays. But, I didn't see a single piece of black. Instead, a rustic brown suede sofa and love-seat surrounded a table that was unusual, to say the least. The width was slender and looked rather old. I walked over to inspect it closer, fascinated by this one piece that seemed to stand out more than anything else in the room. The closer I got the more details I took in. It was a chest and it looked weathered. It had iron rings on the end and the wooden panels were warped at the top near the shut lid.

"That has been in my family's possession since the civil war," he said as he came up beside me.

"It's interesting. I can't believe you are using it as a coffee table."

He chuckled. "It doesn't get used. It's just my conversation piece."

I turned to him. "Well, it works."

He smile was pleasant. "Dinner is almost ready. Would you like a glass of wine?"

"That'd be nice."

He motioned for me to join him in the kitchen and suggested that I sit at the bar. The aroma was delectable. The garlic and ginger tweaked my nose in all the right ways and made me hungrier than I already was. There was something else too, that was almost coppery.

"Do you have a preference? Red or white?" He set a glass down in front of me and I reached out and placed my fingers on the base.

"Red, please."

He smiled at my answer and reached for a black bottle on the counter with a platinum label. "I'm a red drinker, too. There is nothing like something rich to accompany with your meal," he explained while pouring me a glass. "Let me know how you like that."

He slung a towel over his shoulder – very Emeril Lagasse of him – and took up the wooden spoon that he had set next to the stove. He uncovered one shiny pot and peeked inside while I examined the wine; swirling it around, allowing the bouquet to flourish and breathe. I sniffed inside the glass then took a generous sip. It was pungent yet sweet and bit at my tongue while filling my mouth heartily.

I took another sip, but more dainty this time, thinking ahead and trying to make the serving I was poured last until I left. Under any circumstance, I didn't want to have more than what I was allotted for obvious reasons that involved drunken seduction that was plagued by a lack of intimacy.

"What do you think?" Jake asked placing a lid on a pot on a back burner.

"It's good. I barely drink it now."

"I thought you liked to drink?"

"I'm more of a Corona kinda girl. My mom used to give me some of her wine when I was younger, so it's not my favorite now." I answered swirling the crimson liquid inside the glass by circling the foot on the counter, remembering her _valuable_lessons in good wine. He offered a smile and a nod while he uncovered another pot and stirred the contents with a metal spoon instead of the wooden that he had been using.

"I don't usually drink beer. I could never get used to the taste... too frothy and bubbly."

"It's only frothy on tap," I said and took a sip from my glass. "Are you going to be drinking?"

"In a bit. A friend of mine is in town and he usually brings by my favorite brand that you can't buy in stores here. I asked him to stop by earlier, but," he glanced down at his watch, "he's running late tonight."

It was silent for a few moments while he tended to the mysterious, but delicious smelling, food that was simmering on the stove. I pursed my lips, wondering if I should ask the question that came to my mind or if I should just leave it alone, but I was curious. "So, what is the real reason you invited me over here tonight?"

"Like I said, I wanted to make it up to you for being a horrible neighbor."

"Jake, you haven't been a horrible neighbor, a little overbearing at times, but not horrible," I said and then gave him a generous smile. "Besides, you helped me take all my boxes upstairs when I moved in. I think you're a decent guy."

"I hear a 'but' in there somewhere."

"But, I'm sure many slutty males are nice guys." I smirked a little and sipped again.

"I guess I deserve that," he said with a smile.

I nodded. "You did. I said it with good intentions."

"Are you always so charming?" He quirked an eyebrow at me.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad over here, after all. "Most of the time."

Two hard knocks echoed through the front hall. "It's about time," Jake sighed while taking a pot off the stove and to the sink. Noodles poured out into a strainer and Jake glanced back at me. "Can you open the door for him? I've got to put these in the pan with the sauce and veggies."

I pulled my glass from my lips and nodded, jumping off the stool and made my way to the front door. I opened it to the man on the other side, nearly gasping at the sight. It was him. In that moment I couldn't think of anything else other than him with black fur draped over his back like a predatory animal. The red bed that he knelt on came next and suddenly I was turned on by the sheer nearness of him. He was wearing the same clothes as last night which is a usual slob trademark, but I couldn't care less. He still looked good.

I wanted to lean into him and bury my nose in his jacket, knowing damn well that it would smell like rugged man and leather. He definitely wasn't a laid back surfer type like I had initially thought. There were guys like that in my classes and he didn't fit the bill. He's too mysterious, too seductive, too predatory, and every one of those traits turned my once solid knees to mush.

"Wells bells, what are the odds of seeing you here?"

"I think less than average," I said, suddenly feeling rather lightheaded. I felt my legs start to sway and I left the door and made my way back down the hall to my stool at the bar. I was going to need more wine.

"It's about time!" Jake said to James as I propped myself back on the padding of the tall chair. I reached for the black bottle with the shiny silver label and poured another.

"I'm sorry. I got distracted." James glanced over at me briefly and held out a black bottle by its neck. It was different than the bottle I was drinking from. The crimson red letters flared from the darkness. It looked expensive. "Here's your stuff. Drink it within two days and don't leave it out overnight like the last time, hm? "

"You're a life saver." Jake said and took the bottle from James and stuck it in the fridge immediately. James propped himself up on the wall that was the entrance to the kitchen and stole a glance at me when Jake turned back to the pasta now simmering in a brown sauce in a wide pan. When his eyes landed on mine, I looked away quickly which was stupid because I knew I had been caught.

"Oh, Bella this is James," Jake said as he emptied the pasta into a large serving bowl.

I cleared my throat and diverted my attention to my glass. "Yes, James and I met last night at Maguuma."

"Oh, what a coincidence," Jake responded, "would you mind if he stays to eat?"

"No, it's your dinner, anyway. No harm."

James let out a low chuckle as he pushed off the beige wall and walked to the bar. Jake joined him, smiling and letting out a slight chortle. I felt like I was missing the punch line of a joke.

"I am rather hungry, aren't you?" James asked.

"Starved," Jake said and he walked around and placed the large bowl on the table that was only set for one.

"Uh, Jake? There's only one place setting," I pointed out as I climbed down from the chair with my glass.

"Oh, so there is. Well, it's only me most of the time, so ya know how that goes. Go ahead and dive in, Bella. I need to get a couple more things. James, want a glass?"

"Yes," he responded and pulled the chair out that was placed in front of the dining wear. He motioned for me to sit down. I accepted and set my glass on the table before lowering myself to the seat. As he pushed inward, I felt his fingers lightly graze my middle back and I arched away in response. It was instinctually ridiculous that I felt the need to move from him but I couldn't help it.

"Thank you."

He leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Don't mention it."

As good as his lips felt against my ear, I shuddered. He had to know the affect that he had on me, how much he affected me last night. No guy is confident enough to put his lips on a girl's ear without first having premises for doing so.

Jake put two more plates on the table and took a seat to the left while James took a seat at the right.

Jake reached for the metal pasta spoon placed in the yellow bowl and dumped a heaping pile on my plate.

Having all been served, I picked up my fork and dug in, taking small bites at first but then caring less because it was so good.

"You were right," I said, nodding. "You do make a mean Thai pasta."

I was so concentrated on my dinner that I hadn't noticed the silence until then. I also didn't notice that I was half-way finished with my plate and they hadn't even touched their plates. They had their glasses raised to their lips while they eyed each other over the rims. My vision tweaked and pinched. I closed my eyes and shook my head slightly, trying to clean up the images. I opened them again and it was the same – blurry and distorted. The table seemed to move and paintings on the wall came to life. I put my fork down and cradled my head in my hand supporting the weight with my elbow on the table. I felt sick. My stomach churned and an instant heat rushed through my body, flushing me on the outside as well as in. I could feel the fever escaping through my pores and lingering right above my skin. I moaned and grabbed at my stomach with my free hand.

"Jake I don't feel so…" I couldn't finish. I felt myself start to fall and as much as I wanted to catch myself, I couldn't move my limbs to do so. They were heavy and lifeless. I felt a strong hand catch my shoulder and then another moved to my butt and I was removed from the chair completely, stolen from the table and lifted into the air. I looked up at the face so close to mine, it was Jake. I wanted to talk to him, tell him that I felt I needed a doctor, but I was rendered silent. Nothing came from my mouth and I couldn't move.

"Let's get her to the house," I heard James say. Jake nodded and the ceiling over head started to move. Blackness started to take over my form and I was completely helpless to stop it or where I was being taken to.

"One thing you will learn, Bella… there are no coincidences," Jake said as his face disappeared into the darkness.


	3. Lost Without Breadcrumbs

***WARNING***

_This chapter contains violence in the form of physical assault._

_As previously stated, there are no rape scenes in this story.  
_

* * *

**III**

_**LOST WITHOUT BREADCRUMBS**  
_

|. . . : . . .|_  
_

My entire body was rattled back and forth. I had felt the sensation before and recalled it easily. When I was younger my parents had taken me to the emergency room after I had fallen down an entire flight of stairs. My mother sat with me in the back while I rested my head on her lap.

I remembered the pain, only to find out later that I had broken my arm. But more than the intense brutality of my break was the rocking sensation from the car. I knew that I was in the backseat. It had made me sick then and it made me sick now. But it was present company that turned my stomach.

Jake Black had tricked me and I didn't know why. What had I done to deserve this? What does anyone do to deserve to be abducted? There isn't a reason that comes to mind. No one merits this type of situation and I am no exception.

When had this been planned? Had it been planned at all? James was no accident when he came to Magumma last night. He couldn't have been. It's far too much a coincidence, but as Jake had said, there are no coincidences.

_I'm gonna be sick._

Around me it was quiet aside from the noise of the air rushing against the frame of the car. The hard curves of the seat plunged into my back, making it uncomfortable. I wanted to move and even thought about doing so until I opened my eyes to see Jake in the passenger's seat.

The light from the dashboard lit up his face. I could see the angles of his profile in the vibrant glow. He wasn't smiling, but was straight-faced and looking forward. There was nothing to indicate where we were out the windows that I could see and I dared not move in fear that they would know that I was awake.

I knew that I shouldn't have gone to his apartment. Where did my logic go? Where was that little voice that resided in the back of my head? I should have canceled. If I had only told him I wasn't feeling well, or had homework to do I would be at home right now. I could be lying in my comfortable bed, not here in the backseat of a car slightly breathless. Blood would not be swishing in my ears, and I would not be in danger.

It was hard to lie completely still and keep my breathing to a minimum. It was hard to not scream when I thought of all the terrible things they could do to me. The pain was on my mind. The most sensitive areas that could produce the most excruciating torture gripped onto my thoughts and refused to let go. Further more, the instruments that could be used on these places. It was a terrifying notion.

A voice ignited from the front seat. "You'll take care of any loose ends when you get back, right?" It was James.

"What do you take me for? How long have we known each other and you still question my responsibilities?" Jake's voice was deeper than usual – dominant.

"Don't think I've forgotten what happened four months ago. You were careless, even more so than usual."

"Some aren't as easily influenced as others. You don't know anything about mind control or the power of suggestion."

"I know enough."

"Yeah, well Jessica should be easy. Her mind isn't that complex. Who else knows she came to my apartment?" Jake asked.

My stomach sank at the sound of her name. What was he going to do to Jessica?

"A girl named Angela Webber. Know her?"

"Yeah, I know Angela. She's always had a thing for me. Again, it should be easy."

I was vacant, free of all emotion with the exception of one – anger. It riddled me. Not only was I involved in this but Jessica and Angie were in it, too. The mere thought of Jake touching them caused me to clench my fists and want nothing more than to hit him. I wasn't strong, but I was fast and if I were to fight them, I could hold it to my advantage.

They were not going to touch them, I would see to it that they didn't. If I had to die trying, then so be it.

I kept my movements slow and minimum and only moved when Jake was looking out his window. When my feet were fully planted on the carpet and I was in a low position, I steadied my hands, took a quiet breath, then launched myself for the center console in the front, diving between the seats. Jake stretched out his arms as if to brace me from entering but he was too late, I was already there, kneeing him in the face and wrapping my fingers around the steering wheel and pulling it towards me.

The car veered sharply to the right as James shouted obscenities and struggled to keep me from the wheel. My legs flailed in Jake's face while I tried to turn the car out of James' hands. He never let go, but he had a hard time trying to keep the car in control when my elbows met the side of his face and jabbed him in the throat. I could feel Jake's hands on my thighs as he tried to rein them in to keep them from hitting his face, but I wasn't going to allow that.

My body was a spastic mass of flesh and bone as I tossed wildly and kicked at the passenger window then stomped on Jake's legs and delivered blows to his face with my heel. It was hard to keep up while trying to turn the car awry. The two men shouted at each other and I took the opportunity to pull myself more towards James while I put all my weight into wrecking the car.

The driver's side of the car scraped against a rock wall which busted out the left headlamp. My body lurched forward and I could only assume that our slowing was either the natural reaction from the car on the rock or James was applying the brake.

I jerked the wheel back to the right and the car followed my movements by leaping off the left wall of rock and veered straight back into the road. A force pulled me from against James' chest and my head struck something hard. A sharp pain spread its fingers over my scalp causing the fight within me to weaken. I reached for the impact point on my forehead and winced when my dry fingers grazed the wound. I could feel the wetness of the open crevice and hissed at the burn.

A grip around my neck pushed my head to the dash and another blow to the head rendered me unable to concentrate on getting away from them. I held onto the wound, my palm covering it and applying as much pressure as I could until my body was sent into the rough edges of the dashboard. The pressure released me and I crumpled into the laps of the two men, surrendering to the pain that coursed through my skull.

We were at a stop. My head felt as if it would split into two halves if I didn't hold it together. I moaned as there was movement under me and I sank into the bucket seats and into the protruding console. I could feel cool air slip around me like a ghostly stream. I opened my eyes to realize that James and Jake were out of the car and the driver side door was left open. This was my chance! I pulled my body onto my knees and stumbled around the hard compartment which burdened my escape.

Making more noise that necessary, I slipped out of the car and planted my hands on the hard cement. The street was dark; the only light came from the single headlight that remained intact from the struggle. I pulled myself out and fell to the ground with a gritty thud.

James cursed and threw his hands up onto his head then released a growl that was otherworldly. Frightened, I managed to get to my feet and even though it hurt more than I could hardly bear, I started to run. I pushed through the ache that gripped my body and tried to slow me but I knew I was stronger. It was life or death and I wanted life. I heard nothing behind me as I ran away. The lack of following footsteps was unnerving. Surely they wouldn't just let me go, not after I had seen their faces.

My feet pounded below me on the pavement as I squinted my way in the dark. Nothing about my surroundings looked familiar and since I wasn't mentally alert for the entire ride I had no idea how to get back. I was lost with no GPS or map, no flashlight, and no cell phone. I had to find a house, somewhere safe with a door and a lock. I had to get away from them.

A solid object dropped right in front of me and knocked me back. Fear played its chords in my chest when I recognized it was James. I scrambled to get up on my feet again but was met with Jake's towering form a few feet away. It was something I had seen in my nightmares once before, the monsters surrounding me in so I couldn't escape.

I ran into the open space between them. James was there. It was impossible that someone could move that fast or maybe I moved too slow. I turned to sprint in the other direction, attempting a last escape, but I was pushed to the ground.

I didn't have time to recover from this new pain before James clutched onto the front of my shirt and lifted my torso from the ground. He reared his hand back and came forward with a crushing blow across the side of my face. My head exploded with intolerable agony as he raised his hand and delivered another. My skull was going to burst. It made no sense that it was still together.

I expected another hit, but it never came. Instead, a tremor shuttered through my left side, followed by a gnawing pain that clawed its way into my chest. It came again two more times before the acute agony stopped and I was left with the dull remains of its aftershock. I dug my forearms into the pavement to pull myself away from him.

He reached for me again and pulled me off the ground inches away from him. His mouth opened like he was about to say something but I didn't give him a chance. I spit in his face. Red tinted saliva spewed across his cheek, nose, and lip. I mustered up enough to do it again. It coated his chin this time and he merely wiped it off.

Behind me I heard Jake's unmistakable cry of amusement. I wanted to lunge at him. The condescending laughter hurt more than the attack, and in that moment a new sensation fell over me – defeat. I had no chance against them.

"Get the fuck up!" James said directly into my ear causing me to wince.

He pulled me up by my hair. Defeated and hopeless, I rose. The fight that I once had in me was fading and I wanted nothing more than to be rid of the sickening feeling that now resided within me. I held onto any part of me that I could as my entire body quaked from his assault. It had taken me mere seconds to get as far away as I did, but now I was resisting, in hopes it would take longer. James was unaffected by my pace and as soon as we got to the car, I was thrown into the backseat.

Jake slid in next to me. I pulled myself away from him as he assessed me.

"Look at you, Bella. You look horrible."

His finger slid down my cheek. My nostrils flared and I furrowed my brow. "Don't touch me."

He continued to stroke my face lightly. I pulled a hand back to slap him but his fingers caught my wrist mid-way and he flicked it away. I tried it again but he was there to catch me. He didn't let go this time. Instead he slid towards me and came inches away from my face. The car was in motion again, soaring down the road like nothing ever happened.

"I will touch what ever I'd like," he said. His hand gripped onto my thigh and he squeezed. My stomach turned at his following words. "You know I've always wanted you."

"Don't touch me," I said again strongly, thoroughly disgusted. When his hand didn't move, I grabbed onto his wrist and tried to push it off.

We struggled in the back seat, waging a war over his hands and my legs. His face contorted with anger while he pinned me against the door. I tried to contort around his hands but was unable to move.

James' voice erupted from the front of the car. "Jake!"

"I just want a taste," he breathed, his cool breath wrapping around my neck.

"Get away from me," I seethed between clinched teeth.

"Jake!" James said. "Don't…"

"Relax, he'll barely be able to notice it," Jake said as he planted his teeth on me and nipped at my skin. I couldn't help but cry out, and as soon as the acknowledgement of pain left my lips James slammed on the brakes. He opened the door I was leaning against, leaving me trapped, once again, between two of them.

James caught me as I stumbled out of the backseat, only to become acutely aware of how much my entire body hurt from tonight. Pain pulsed at my arm as James gripped my bicep and pulled Jake out of the car with his free hand. Jake was frightening in appearance. He looked crazed, his dark eyes seemed to illuminate and they darted furiously between me and James, as if he was weighing something, a plan of some sort. His hands were clinched into fists at his side as he stood to face James, who had me behind him, forming a barrier between me and Jake.

"I think you should head back to your apartment," James said heavily, the back of his throat carrying a low murmur that sounded like a growl.

"I'll be fine," Jake tried to reassure him.

"You're going to get us killed! Is that what you want?"

Jake lowered his head and glared at me. He said nothing as he strode past and disappeared into the darkness in the blink of an eye. I squinted to see if my eyes were deceiving me; no one could run that fast. I wasn't allotted a chance to linger as James pulled me in front of him, staring at me with his hands gripped tight around my shoulders, his eyes were dark with animosity.

His lips twitched into a sneer as his cold hand cupped my neck and his thumb grazed where Jake had been, rubbing the sore spot with the pad of his thumb. The action was gentle unlike the last time he had laid his hands on me, but the suggestion was threatening, frightening.

"Try anything and I will take care of you myself," he paused, staring at my neck, his lips seemed to grow thick in the dim light. He swallowed harshly. "Do you understand?"

I nodded and he pushed me into the backseat of his red BMW then closed the door behind me. I looked at the door that Jake had crawled in from earlier and debated on reaching for it to climb out the other side. James got into the car, put it into gear, and continued to head down the dark, winding road. I carefully reached across the empty space to the door. Locked.

"I told you not to try anything." I caught his gaze in the rearview mirror and quickly looked away.

I slid next to the window and pressed my sore, throbbing temple to the glass. The coolness eased the pain somewhat as I stared out at the dark trees passing us by in a blur. I hadn't seen this type of dark road since I had left Forks. It took me back to the times when Charlie and I would drive home from the diner on late evenings.

I took Forks for granted. Silent tears ran down the sides of my face and I quietly sniffled. In my peripheral vision, James' movements caught my attention. He adjusted the mirror so he could look at me and we exchanged glances.

"Why didn't you just go ahead and get it over with?" I asked.

"Get it over with?"

"Killing me. You're obviously going to do it. So why didn't you?"

"If you're dead then I don't collect my payment." His gaze was intense and dangerous.

"Payment?"

"I'm not playing twenty questions with you."

I rested my head against the window, again, wishing I could be on the outside of the car. I would give anything to be someone else right now.

A few minutes later we slowed and pulled into a drive. The single headlight lit a large, black iron gate. A clearing through the trees out my window indicated that we were on a mountain. James rolled down his window and hit a combination of buttons which was too quick for me to see. With an eerie creak and groan, the gate opened inwardly and the car slipped past the barriers. I waited in morbid anticipation, wondering what this place would look like, if it would give a hint to what it was. The car flew up the narrow drive, swerving through trees and barely missing large boulders that lined the paved way.

The bushes and tree trunks seemed to part and he accelerated out of the forest and towards a light that was situated over a hill. When the lights came into view, I never expected what I saw. It was a castle. An actual rock castle and just as big as I had always imagined one would be. It was both awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time. Lights shone up on the walls, causing shadows to bounce and creating depth from the large bricks.

Two large wooden doors opened under the awning at the entrance and four men stepped out as James pulled underneath the red tarp. The entrance reminded me of a fine hotel, but I knew better.

I clinched my jaw tight as two men approached my door. I backed away when they opened it and held their hand out for me. I was reluctant to take it, but thought it would be better if I was asked to do as I was told, for my present safety.

I placed a stiff hand in the large palm that was reaching in my door and was allowed the proper time to step out. When I was out of the car, I stood next to a man that towered over me. His shoulders were nearly three times the width of mine. His skin was pale, like James' but his eyes were darker, black as onyx.

"Welcome," he said in a deep voice that shook my body through our grip. The large man furrowed his brow and grasped my chin with his free hand, turning my face from side to side to examine me.

"James?" he said.

James answered him with a, "Hm?"

"Why is she bleeding?" He looked to him sternly.

"Long story. She wrecked my car and tried to escape. She had to be immobilized."

"The drug didn't inhibit her?"

"No."

"Where is Jake? Surely he gave her the wrong amount. We will need to speak with him."

"There was a problem with Jake. He was unable to control himself," James offered and placed his hands behind his back.

"Very well. We shall deal with him on his next visit," the large man said then paused to look at me. "Come, you shall meet the Master then you'll be cleaned up for a hot meal." He brought my fingers, which were gently woven into his, to his lips. A slight peck was all it took and he sought my eyes. "You smell delectable." He kissed my knuckles again then led me inside.


	4. A Not So Enchanted Castle

**_IV_**

**_A NOT-SO-ENCHANTED CASTLE_**

|. . . : . . .|

The pain that plagued me seemed to settle as we walked through the house. I followed the large man, James tailing close behind. It was an uneasy trek through winding halls and wide arches. The stucco was richly coated in an amber glow from the wall lamps and the wooden doors were weathered. There were antique candle stick holders that held unlit white candles on hall tables, and art that scattered among the remains of the stucco. There were suits of armor with dents and splotches of red on the torso like they had actually been worn into battle.

For a lack of a better word, it was intriguing and the sights wouldn't allow my mind to quiet. I inhaled slowly as we walked, using my breaths to keep me as calm as possible. The air was musty and it hit the back of my throat, leaving a faint, curious taste.

We turned right down another hall and made our way to the double doors at the end with tints of rich mahogany. Small, round recessed lights in the ceiling lit our way once again, as they did down the previous halls. It was still dim, casting the same golden glows along the walls. I continued to look straight ahead, not concerning myself with anything other than the obvious destination in front of us. Would these doors give way to my curiosity and reveal their secrets?

A sandy haired man walked past me, his gate unnaturally smooth and brisk. He was at the ruddy doors, pushing them both open. He walked in as he pushed, revealing a large room that appeared curved along the back wall with columns supporting a second level balcony which embraced the outer edge. It appeared narrow and bleak, not standing out against anything but the shadows that the columns were casting on the back wall. As we drew closer, an amazing chandelier caught my attention. It hung from the high ceilings and lit the entire room.

Under the light was a large rectangular table with so many chairs that I couldn't even count them in time. Large paintings were hung and were vibrant with color. They popped against the smooth, ivory walls. A commotion drew my attention away from the details and towards the noise.

A small gathering of men were walking through another set of doors to my left. They were all dressed differently, but all sharing something in common; they were in firmly-pressed, business-like attire. Their hair was different shades; blond, black, brown and red, all the diversity in one small crowd.

We made our way across the glossy floor at a sudden listless pace. Heads slowly started to turn in our direction and a laugh resonated from the gathering which parted. A man with slicked-back, shoulder-length hair emerged with a smile spread across his face while tapping his hands together slowly. He seemed older than the men that led me down here.

"Wonderful! Just wonderful!" he said in an eerily cheerful tone as he approached us. Black shirt, black jacket, black shoes, nearly black hair – he must have liked black. He stopped in front of us, extending his hand palm down. "You're a few minutes late, James."

James came up from behind me and took this man's hand in his and bowed down to kiss his knuckles briefly before straightening up again but not releasing his grip. The man stared at James curiously but didn't seem to be in a present state. It was though he was deep in thought. A few seconds later, his gaze shifted to me. The anger that flickered was unnerving, and a voice in my head screamed at me to run away and this time don't look back! But there was nowhere to run. I was grossly outnumbered now.

"As you can see, I had no other choice," James said. I noted an exchange not being spoken between the two of them. Before I could register what had happened, a crack sounded through the room and James' face was directed towards me abruptly. The man's hand lingered in the air.

"You take liberties with my things! I've told you to bring them unsoiled! Are you ungovernable?" The man's voice echoed through the room violently.

"She was trying to escape, sir. I had no other choice but to immobilize her," James said turning his head back to the man. Another crack sounded through the room as the back of his hand met James' cheek once again. My chest lurched at the sound.

"Had she been given the proper dosage she wouldn't have needed your hand. Can you not also control that poor excuse for a…!"

"Sir…" James interrupted.

Another slap.

James closed his eyes briefly before opening them to speak again. "Sir, he was becoming too familiar with the girl. He would have harmed her more than I did had I not sent him back."

The man squinted and cocked his head to the side. He stared at him for several seconds before placing a hand on James' shoulder. Within moments, James was on his knees, his mouth flew open but nothing came out. Instinctively I stepped away in fear, watching the spectacle with morbid curiosity. His body curled and bowed to the floor in front of this man, submitting to whatever it was he was doing to him.

"You know what I want to hear," he said to James calmly.

James mumbled but his words were inaudible.

"I'm sorry I can't hear you."

James spoke but it was inaudible once again.

"What was that?"

"I'm sorry!" James screamed to the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Master!"

"Will it happen again?" His voice was back to that eerie, cheerful tone.

"No, sir."

"Good." He released James then tapped him on the cheek with his palm. "Get up."

As soon as James was off the floor, the dark-haired man grinned carefully then started for me, never breaking away from my eyes. I tried to back away but it was an impossible feat. I was halted where I stood.

He closed in on me, shadows leaking down onto his face and darkening his eyes. He held out his hand, the same way he did with James, giving me a close look at the large red jewel that caressed his ring finger. He grinned and relaxed his brow. No way. There is no fucking way I'm kissing his hand. No way in hell that is happening.

So I stared at him, not wanting to move forward, and he continued to keep me in his gaze with a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Time seemed to pause in that room while he waited, but I refused to acknowledge him the same way James had. He took a step forward which brought his hand closer to me. When I didn't do what he expected he raised his brow slightly and took at glance at the man holding me.

A large hand seized the back of my neck like a vice and began to push my head down to meet the jeweled hand. I pulled my lips into my mouth and looked away from the pale skin that it was about to meet. Instead of where my lips should have been, an icy brush swept past my cheek and he moved his hand to where my mouth was now situated. I pushed and pulled against the grip, the hand chasing me the entire time.

A more forceful squeeze from the handwas all it took to render my movements and the dark-haired man's knuckle was there, ready to be embraced by my lips. My fingers that were being grasped were released. Large digits embraced one of my cheeks while a thumb squeezed the other. I huffed through my nose, fighting to keep my lips from puckering out but it only took a second of weakness for them to slip and as soon as they did his hand met them. The knuckles of his ring and middle finger were placed gently to me, falling into the crevice between my lips and stayed there for a second before retreating back to him.

"You are most kind to show me your respect," he said, the smile beginning to fade. "Peculiar." He took another step forward and I had nowhere to go. The grip on my cheeks released and I stretched my jaw to relieve the pressure that had built. The man reached for my hand at my side and brought it into both of his. His eyes shifted around my fingers crazily.

"Fascinating," he whispered, his eyes meeting mine. My breath caught in my throat as I finally saw the colors of his eyes. Deep red. It was like a nightmare. I couldn't take any more of it. I had to get out of here.

I tried jerking away from his grip and squirmed under the large paw at my neck. I was unsuccessful at freeing myself. The man let out a high pitched laugh and clapped his hands together.

"Let me go!" I screamed as I sawed against the large man.

"I'm afraid," his voice reignited in front of me, "that isn't possible." I stopped squirming when he stroked a finger down my hair at the side of my face. My jaw trembled at the action as he stared into my eyes, searching for something. The finger found its way to my cheek and slipped off my chin, leaving a trail of cold.

"What do you want with me?"

"Shh, shh." He took my face into his cool palms, pressing into them with a measurable amount of force. I flinched and squeezed my eyes shut. "I see nothing. Why can't I see what you have done?" He asked as if he were speaking to himself. I opened my eyes to look at him. "Could it be?" He called gently over his shoulder, "Jasper."

A man with blond waves falling past his ears parted from the others and sauntered over to us, his hands placed behind his back and a smug expression on his face. I watched him carefully as he took a place beside the dark-haired man, inches from me. His eyes were also a deep red and my jaw trembled again. I wasn't sure if it was out of fear or because the cold had started to set into my bones.

"This charming young lady seems to have a technique for extinguishing the use of my gifts upon her. Would you be so gracious to lend your talent? I am curious to see how far this spectrum travels."

Jasper grinned slightly. "Of course."

My breathing picked up at the dimples that dug their way into his skin at his declaration. My eyes moved to his and I wondered what power he had, if any at all. The grip on my neck tightened, and I tried to move around the uncomfortable restraint, searching for a resting place among the pain.

Jasper's gaze bore into mine. Fear and anger escaped me, fleeing quickly as a new calm beat on my chest and dove into my stomach after it had completed its round. I felt warm.

"Felix, release," the man said. The grip disappeared and the elation intensified. I straightened my back to stand upright and winced at the pain that had never completely fleeted. The voice in my head screamed at me to run away, that it was my only chance, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up my feet. I merely stood there, basking in a peaceful wave.

I startled as the man clapped his hands together and laughed again.

"Jasper would you escort this delightful creature to interrogation and afterwards have her cleaned," the man said as his eyes flickered to me.

"Yes, sir," Jasper said as the dark-haired man parted ways with us and joined the crowd that he was in when I had walked in. Jasper extended his arm out to me. "Shall we?"

Still suffering from my emotional mix-up and feeling pretty damn peachy, yet confused, I cupped my hand around the underside of his elbow. The black material of his suit was delicate and smooth, nothing like the rough cotton suits my father used to wear.

I brushed the tip of my index finger through a crease, stroking it back and forth as we started walking out of the large banquet hall.

I was confused by my actions. I should be sprinting towards the exit by now, but I wasn't. I wanted to walk with him. I wanted to go wherever it was that we were going. He didn't turn to me nor did he speak while walking back through the halls that I had come from minutes earlier and that was okay. I didn't want to talk. Although the silence was weird it was better this way. I had nothing to say to him, even though I still didn't know why I was here.

It was the only thought that raced through my mind as we walked, storming paths through the quiet house. The only other sound was the gentle rapping of mine and Jasper's footsteps which subdued my wandering mind. I listened to nothing else for the rest of the way, becoming lost as we wound through halls and arches.

We finally stopped at a door, which he opened and entered first, pulling me behind him. Once we were in, he shut the door and flicked on a light. He pushed my hand off of his arm and moved away from me, and the calm left. The room was nothing special. It was small with dark, wooden walls which seemed to maximize the microscopic space. There was a square wooden table in the middle of everything with two chairs on either side. On the far wall, shelves, running from top to bottom, were littered with manila folders. Jasper went to a shelf near the bottom and ran a finger along them, obviously searching.

He pulled out his item quietly and dropped it on the table, then taking a seat opposite of where I was standing. He raised his foot slowly under the table and shoved the other chair out.

"Sit," he commanded.

"I'll stand," I said while crossing my arms in front of me. He produced a pen from inside his jacket.

"I suggest you sit."

"I'm good here."

"You don't seem to get it, do you?" I startled when he appeared right next to my face sinking his voracious irises into me. "Either you sit, or I can make you sit." A cool breath escaped from between his parted lips. It was sickly sweet and made me dizzy. "Which will it be?"

"Sitting would probably be less complicated." I slid out from underneath him and took a seat across from where he had sat.

"Wise decision," he said and sat down again. He began to scribble into the folder. I felt the pull of loneliness and helplessness on my chest. It was forceful, incredibly so. I watched him as his hand tore across blank lines on the sheet. His writing was neat and uniform.

"Try not to think," Jasper murmured still staring down at the folder. "I can feel everything that goes through your body. It's distracting."

"Why should I accommodate you?"

He stopped writing to look up at me, his lips pressed into a tight line. "Because if you don't, you will have no one to blame but yourself for my impatience and the consequences that follow. I have more leeway than most under Aro."

"Who is Aro?"

"The master of the house. You met him in the banquet hall." He went back to his duties in the folder.

"And what exactly is _this place_?" I asked, adjusting myself in the chair so I could sit upright comfortably.

"Don't worry about it."

I slammed my hands down on the table in a rush of anger and screamed, "Tell me!"

Jasper merely chuckled. "I was warned about you," he looked up at me, "and your temper tantrums."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"The knowledge that is crucial doesn't come from your mouth and that can be easily taken. Anything else that I want can be forced out of you. Now, if you're over your emotional outburst, I have a few questions."

"So do I."

"Answer mine then I'll answer yours."

I sighed. If that's how it's going to be. "Fine."

I answered questions about my life: how long I had been in L.A.; if I was in college, and the courses I took; hygiene habits; favorite foods.

"What is your blood type?" he asked. His eyes flicked up at me as he was leaning back in the chair with the pen still to the folder ready to write my answer like he had been doing. I furrowed my brow and inhaled a breath, filling my lungs fully and slowly letting it out.

"Why is that important?" I asked confused.

"It's the most important question of all," he said.

I continued to stare at him. Severe irritation penetrated my skin and spread through my chest suddenly, and I knew it wasn't from me since it wasn't a new emotion, just stronger and foreign.

"My patience is wearing thin," he said in a near growl and tapped the pen on the wood.

"So is mine," I responded jaggedly. We sat in silence for a few more moments, his eyes boring into mine like they had in the large banquet hall. My shoulders were in a quiver as he influenced my body with new emotion: trust. It mixed with the fear that had been with me for most of the night, and I felt it surge.

Submission. I felt submissive to him and trusted him with the information.

He readied his pen again. "Now, what is your blood type?" he asked, appearing satisfied.

"B negative," I answered slowly. He smiled and jotted it down and then closed the folder. My shoulders went slack again as the trust disappeared. I was back to fear and irritation. "How are you doing that?"

He smirked. He was dangerous. It wasn't just him, it was all of them. Their movements, pale skin and red eyes left me questioning every intention and ambitious motive that was lying in wait for me.

I looked down to my hands as Jasper stood up from the table with the folder in hand and pushed the chair in. Black, pointed-toe boots peeked out from underneath his black slacks as they rapped sharply on the floor.

"You'll need to wash up, the you can meet the women you will be sharing a room with. They will help you become familiar with their routines," he said as I unwillingly rose to follow him. "After you have become acquainted, you'll join us for dinner." A cunning smile stretched across his lips as he placed his hand on the door knob.


	5. Mirrors Tell Ugly Lies

**V**

**_Mirrors Tell Ugly Lies_**

|. . . : . . .|_  
_

We finally stopped outside a door, and Jasper pulled a key from his pocket to unlock it. The hinge groaned as it pivoted inward and revealed a blackened room. Jasper stepped in and flicked on a light. Panic ensued after my eyes adjusted to the contents inside. Light reflected from metal objects that were lying on several tables smocked with blue, hospital-grade cloth.

A giant, padded, metal table was in the center of the room underneath a huge lamp. It was an exam room! I clutched his hand between my fingers and tried to manipulate them to free him of my arm while I moved backward. With a single pull I was in the room and the door slammed behind me.

I instantly protested the situation while I continued to fight his dominating grasp. "Let me out of here!"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are afraid of needles," he said.

He pulled me once again, and my body slung around sharply so that I was positioned in front of him. Our chests almost collided, but he pushed me away and somehow picked me up to place me on the white cushion before I could make full sense of what had happened. A feeling of calm trickled through me at an alarming rate.

"Don't move," he said, as he left my side to sift through a drawer.

He returned with a few small items in his hand and a bottle of clear liquid. He set the materials next to me and pulled up a cart with several medical items on it, sorted neatly into rows. No amount of manufactured calm could keep my breaths steady.

"Raise your arms," he commanded. I did what was asked of me, and he grabbed the bottom of my shirt, raising it over my stomach, ribs...

"What are you doing?" I tucked my elbows to my side, pushing the shirt back down.

"I can't see your skin if your shirt is on."

"Why do you need to see that?"

Another cool, sickly-sweet breath hit my face. "You're injured, are you not?"

"Yes, but I can clean it myself. I don't need your help."

He huffed and gave a quick grin. "Company policy: patients aren't allowed to touch sharp objects."

"What are you talking about... hey, stop! Don't do that!"

He had cut my shirt from hem to neck! I clutched at the folds and brought them together, closing the opening.

He placed the scissors down on the tray. "Remember, we can make this as easy as possible, or we can do it the hard way. Either way, it's going to get done."

"You haven't even washed your hands."

Without question or retort, he moved to the sink. After washing and drying, he slipped on a pair of latex gloves.

"I'm touched you're so concerned with my safety," I said, knowing he was mocking me.

"Take it off. I don't have all night to play with you."

"What? No foreplay first?" I'd gone too far. I steadied my breaths. "I don't exactly trust you."

"Really? I couldn't sense that." Sarcasm. He soaked a few cotton balls with alcohol. "You have every reason not to, but it's either me or someone else, and I can assure you I'm a lot nicer. So, I suggest you open your shirt and let me do my job."

Releasing my shirt, I caught on fire. I was wearing a bra, but I still felt so incredibly naked in front of this man, so vulnerable.

"Lay down."

I did, never allowing my eyes to leave his as I search for a sign of sleazy intentions. Nothing. He was straight-faced and calm as he opened my cut shirt, revealing my torso. The scent of alcohol made me dizzy, and the cold from it being soaked into the cotton balls didn't let up until he had exhausted its use. He must've thrown away twenty of them.

After the cleaning, then ran his wintry index fingers over my rib cage simultaneously. Gradually, then pain became more and more apparent the further down he pressed. He took notice of my pain and pressed inward, enhancing the dull ache to side splitting agony.

"Ouch," I cried as he studied the tender area. I hissed as the cool sensation dragged along my skin, burning its way into my flesh. I cringed. "How bad is it?"

"I've seen worse." He discarded the stained gauze. "Considering it was James, you're lucky," he said and picked up another piece to wet it.

"What is his problem anyway?" I asked and hissed again.

"James has anger issues." He didn't offer any other information as he languidly circled around ribs. Sensing the irritation that flitted around in my shoulders, I knew that Jasper wasn't far off from James with that problem. He seemed like a highly strung individual that would probably be capable of mannerisms that mimicked James' if the right buttons were pushed.

I kept my attention focused on the fluorescent lights on the ceiling and offered no other words as he blotted away the dried blood on my skin.

He moved closer as he rubbed the alcohol-soaked gauze pads across the cuts on my face. When he finished he discarded all the gauze into a trash bin then pulled me off the padded table and led me out of the room. He flicked off the light, locked the door, and left my shirt behind, never speaking a word.

"Where are we going now?" I asked as he pulled me along.

He didn't answer me.

"Hey, where are we going?" I raised my voice.

A moment later he pushed open another door. Oh. I no longer needed to question what it was. It was cavernous-looking with brown tile covering the floor and walls. An arch-way in the center divided the room.

My worst nightmare had come to life – a community shower. My stomach lurched from the memories of gym class in high school and being forced to undress with the other girls. There was no way that I could do this. Modest is a complete understatement. Petrified of public nudity is a much better description.

Jasper pulled me into the center underneath the dim lights, and I became aware that we were not alone. Hidden by the protruding archway, a woman stood underneath a stream of water which created feathery tuffs of steam that floated upward towards the ceiling. I was sure my cheeks were as red as I thought they were as I caught sight of the water flowing between her breasts. I looked away quickly, giving her the privacy that I knew I would want, and feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Who's here?" Jasper asked. A large, shirtless man with short brown hair appeared only a second after. He wore a pair of tight, black boxer-briefs, and his core muscles flexed sharply. Dimples carved into his cheeks as his eyes scanned over my body, and I felt the need to cover my chest.

"Who is this?" he asked as he leaned against the archway crossing his arms.

"New girl," Jasper answered.

"Will she be available tonight?"

"Keep your distance—she's Aro's."

"He always gets the new blood," he responded in a disappointed tone.

"As he should. You wouldn't like this one, anyway. She's defective," Jasper said brutally as he pushed me toward a wall of shower heads. I caught myself against the cool tile and held myself there to keep from sinking to the floor. My lip trembled as my eyes traveled up to one of the shower heads above me and my thoughts instantly ran to the girl across the room, knowing I would be in the exact same position as her.

I looked over my jeans which were grungy and blood splattered. My hair was equally filthy. I could feel the heavy grit without even running my fingers through it. I would have to be cleaned. I would have to be naked in here. A tear coursed to my chin. I wiped it away swiftly.

"If she's _defective_ then why does Aro want her?"

"She can block his ability."

"A shield?" The intrigue in his voice caught my attention. I didn't know what a shield was – what I was to them – but it didn't sound appealing to him. "Why would he want to put in the extra work?"

"I don't know, Emmett, but she can't block me, which means I'll be her warden."

"Sucks for you."

My heart sank as they continued their conversation. It was dead to me and only seemed like a ring in my ears – white noise.

A minute later, Emmett rolled off the archway and disappeared behind the wall. I caught sight of the woman again as she tilted her face upward toward the water. She was beautiful, unmistakably so, and for the first time in a long time I felt completely insecure about myself.

"Come on," Jasper's voice said through the water noise.

I shook my head weakly. "I won't do this," I said.

"Why do you continue to resist when you know I will win?"

"I'm not undressing in front of you, or him."

He shook his head. "This ain't my first rodeo. You don't have anything I haven't seen before, nothing that I'm not going to see a million more times."

"So sure of yourself," I said, keeping my hands on the wall to keep myself from slipping to the floor beneath me. He moved toward me and reached out and unclasped my bra in the back with one hand. I let out an asperous breath when I felt the tight material go limp. A hand was on my shoulder, turning me and I crossed my arms in front of my chest to hold onto the loose bra.

He reached for my pants.

I pushed him with one hand, but he didn't budge. "Stop!"

His fingers worked quickly to undo the button and then the zipper. I pushed him again and this time he backed away.

"There, I got you started," he said.

"Isn't there a private bathroom?"

"There are no other showers, 'cept these. Do it, or I'll make you do it." A hard edge stroked his voice as he threatened me with his ability again.

I let my hands drop from the wall, causing the straps of my bra to fall over my arms, taking the padding with it. The elastic trickled into my hands and I tossed it aside. My back towards him, I removed my boots and socks then slipped out of my clothes. They pooled into a heap at my feet. Jasper kicked them away, and they landed towards the entrance as I threw my arms over my exposed breasts.

"Hurry up," he said and crossed to the opposite side of the room to lean against the archway. He talked to Emmett over his shoulder while keeping an eye on me. Hot tears wet my face but I didn't bother brushing them away since they were the only thing I wore now. I turned the knob closest to me and the shower head above sputtered then blasted cold water to the floor.

After a few adjustments I stepped into the warm water. I kept myself covered as much as possible while facing towards Jasper and turned away from him to scrub the dirt from my hair, knowing full well that I was exposing my backside. My options for modest angles were limited.

I took care in washing my face and ribs since they hurt the worst.

I finished quickly and turned off the water. Covering my chest once more, still facing the wall, I asked, "Is there a towel?"

He retrieved a towel and I took it from him over my shoulder. Relief was mine when I wrapped it around my body.

In the hallway, the cold air touched my wet skin like needles. We walked slower this time, and he never uttered a word until we got to a door he had to unlock.

"You're expected to be at dinner in forty minutes. It doesn't give you much time to ready yourself," he said and turned to me. "If you are not prepared when someone comes to get you, there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Good," he said and tossed me inside, discarding me like I was a rag doll. I stumbled backward, trying to recover from the forceful entry but couldn't. I landed on a hard floor and groaned at the pain. The door shut, and I heard the locks turn over as I stared at the dark entry where he had been standing. There was a slight glow around the room, giving hints of dark, wooden walls. Where had he put me? Faint gasps erupted behind me, and I shifted my attention to whatever it was.

Seven girls were in the room with me, all of them either sitting on one of three beds or on the floor. They were all dressed alike, in white knee-length, short-sleeved robes that were fitted nicely and hugged their slender curves. A short brunette bounded off a bed towards me. She offered me her hand.

"It's okay," she said. I let her help me up off the floor while trying to keep the towel around me.

"Where am I?" I asked her, hoping to get an answer from someone.

"This is room sixty-five."

"No, I mean, what is this place?"

"This is the Lair of the Wolf castle." A girl with blond hair climbed off her knees and made her way towards me. "What's your name?"

My lips shook. "Bella."

"I'm Rosalie."

"And I'm Alice," the brunette smiled.

"Are there any clothes I can put on?"

"I'll get something for you," Alice offered. She returned a moment later with the same type of robe they were all wearing. I made fast work of slipping it on.

For the next fifteen minutes, Alice introduced me to the girls that I had been placed with. Out of all of them, I found out that Alice had been here the longest, her time totaling to seven months. I could hardly believe it when she had told me.

She had managed to survive in this place for that long. She had watched roommates come and go when she first arrived and eventually the other six girls replaced them. Tanya, a voluptuous blonde with a pretty face, joined Alice five months ago, and then a dark-headed girl named Leah came a few days after her.

Zafrina had the most commanding presence. She was beautiful and tall with dark skin and dark hair. I would bet money that she would be successful as a model. Alice said she had been here for three months.

When it was time for a redhead to be introduced, she didn't raise her face to look at me. Instead, she kept her arm tucked under her cheek and slowly picked at the white bed linens with her thumb and index finger. "Victoria is really shy," Alice said leaning in close to me. "She hardly speaks except…"

"The serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field of which God has made," Victoria interrupted without looking up. Her voice was hazy and almost sounded drug-induced.

"Except to speak Bible passages," Rosalie sighed beside me.

"Why does she do that?" I asked.

"Her father is a preacher at First Baptist Church in East Hollywood." Rosalie explained. "She's always done it."

My eyes fell on a younger girl. She looked up at me with crystal blue eyes, her blond hair framing her sad expression.

"How long have you been here?" I asked her, almost afraid of her answer.

"A week," she answered softly.

"Why?" I felt ridiculous that it was all I managed to strangle out of my tight throat. She shrugged her shoulders. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," she answered.

Rosalie sat beside her, taking her shoulder underneath her arm and pulling her close.

"This is Jane," she said hugging the girl and stroking her hair. She looked much younger, and her eyes conveyed nothing but a tragic reality.

I couldn't recall what I had been doing a week ago. It was just another day for me, but for Jane it would forever be instilled in her mind. I was sure she would remember how she was taken, or whatever they had done to her when she arrived. With the monsters that I had met, I didn't even want to question the details of her downfall.

After a moment of silence, I continued to prod. "How long have you been here, Rosalie?"

"About a month," she responded.

"Did I hear Jasper say something about dinner?" Alice asked.

"Oh my God!" I cupped my hand over my mouth. How long had it been since he put me in here?

"Don't take the Lord's name in vain!" Victoria said loudly still picking at the sheets.

"We try to keep the O-M-Gs to a minimum." Alice said while pressing her palms down.

"I was told to be ready when they came to get me!"

Alice and Tanya offered to help me get ready. They informed me that bras and panties weren't required, and I told them that I didn't care because I wanted them anyways. But apparently there weren't any in the room or the house after girls were brought in. Panties I could do without, but I hated not wearing a bra. Something about those pieces of padded fabric made me feel safe.

"Who are sitting with tonight?" Alice asked.

"I don't know," I answered. "Maybe that Aro guy."

"At least it's not James or Edward," Leah joined in.

Victoria's mumbling increased.

"I've already met James," I said stroking the tender area on my ribs. "He's the one that brought me here. But I don't think I've met Edward."

"You would know if you met Edward," Tanya said as Alice combed my still-damp hair.

"Yeah," Leah said opening up a closet next to the bed. "He's probably the worst in this house."

"I find that hard to believe." I couldn't imagine a personality worse than the ones I had already met.

Leah pulled out a plain black dress from the closet. "What size are you?"

"In dresses? I don't know. I haven't worn one like that since senior prom."

Leah examined the dress, then me. I could only assume she was sizing me up. "It should fit."

Twenty-five minutes later the noise of a lock turning over sounded through the room. I wasn't shocked that whoever it was had precise timing. A new face entered and summoned me to the hall with a single finger motion, and he stepped out, leaving the door open for me to follow.

When I was in the hall, he closed the door and turned the locks over.

**=x=**

The banquet room was slightly different than it was when I first saw it. Candlelit flickered wildly along the walls and down the center of the table which was clear except for a few plates, flatware and wineglasses.

I could hear music and tried to pin point where it was coming from since it didn't sound like a recording. Two violin players and a cello player were positioned in the corner of the room, opposite my left. The guy that had led me here let go and disappeared through the doors that we came from.

A few other women in more elaborate dress were in the center of the room away from the table. Feeling slightly out of place standing by myself and really not sure what to do, I made my way to them. I wanted to talk to them to ease my stomach, perhaps wanting reassurance that everything would be okay, but none of them acknowledged me.

They didn't even glance in my direction, but only continued to stare straight ahead. The doors on the opposite side of the room opened, and I instantly recognized Aro's face as he led a group into the room. As he walked by, his group of men following at his feet, the women that I was standing by curtsied to him.

I didn't.

"Come, child," he said. I paused when he stretched his hand out to me, debating on whether I should but ended up taking it. He walked gracefully with one hand tucked behind his back, the other out so mine could rest on it. He positioned himself at the head of the overly large table and motioned for me to sit on the side to his left.

Once everyone was at their seats, he sat, and everyone followed after him except for me. I quickly corrected myself and fumbled with my dress and chair which made a wretched noise that bounced off the walls when I tried to scoot it in.

"Jesus Christ," I concealed in a breath. I didn't have to look up to know that I was being watched. A snicker came from across the table.

Emmett.

"Sudsy," he said with a smirk as if he were greeting me. I redirected my gaze.

"You've met?" Aro asked placing his folded hands on the table.

"Earlier," Emmett said, dropping the smile, "in the shower room."

"I trust you kept your hands to yourself?" Aro grinned and reached for Emmett's hand. He flinched but let him do whatever it was that Aro did. Again, I found myself watching curiously. I couldn't quite determine Aro's personality. He was creepy but nice at the same time, but the little suggestions of kindness didn't seem sincere. He patted Emmett on the hand looking quite satisfied and then clapped once.

A plate of food was set into the larger plate already positioned in front of me and the other women. It seemed to be an extremely casual meal for suits and dresses. I recognized the white rice but the green and orange calamity beside it was a mystery. The other ladies began to eat, not wasting a moment to study what was on their plates while the men at the table looked on.

I traced back to Jake's apartment when I had told him that there was only a place setting for me. Then I didn't think it was strange, but now that it had occurred twice it was definitely sparked my attention_._

"You must be hungry," Aro said as he leaned into me.

I shook my head. "The last time I had ate, I blacked out and ended up here. I think I'll pass on this one," I said pushing the food away.

"Yes," he carried out, "that situation does interest me so. Please tell me more."

"More of what?"

"Everything."

I took a quick glance around the table. Everyone was ignoring the conversation – all except for one. His eyes were trained on me under his thick, furrowed brow. His gaze was uncomfortable and sent a tremble through my spine. The candles seemed to ignite the auburn color in his hair, hues of red and brown playing wicked games back and forth. The shadows under his cheeks were deep and made him look ill. If I could only choose one word to describe him, it would be fatal.

He was dangerous. I could see the flicker of anger and tense concentration behind his lashes—a combination that seldom ended happily for anyone involved. My eyes stumbled back to Aro's after forcing them to look away.

"There isn't much to tell," I started. "Jake invited me over for dinner, James showed up, I ate, I passed out, and I came here."

"How scary that must have been for you," Aro said, his voice deep and raspy around the edges.

"It wasn't exactly the greatest moment in my life."

His gaze flicked behind me and I followed. The auburn-haired man shook his head.

"Fascinating," Aro breathed, leaning into me further.

"What is?" I asked.

"You are my dear."

"I don't see how I'm so fascinating to you. You seem to have other women here that are capable of keeping your attention. There is no point in keeping me around. If you let me go, I won't tell anyone what you're doing here." _I most certainly would._

A chuckle erupted from his lips and escalated into a full blown laugh. His hand flew to his chest in humor, and then he brought his fingers to his lips as the laugh died down.

"That makes me laugh," he said, then sighed. "So tell me, Isabella, you were interested in architecture at the university? Why did that appeal to you?"

"I don't know," I said, not liking all these questions.

"So, this place must interest you to some degree."

"Somewhat." I casually glanced to see if I was still being watched and I was. The man twirled his long, slender finger around on the table in front of him, the pads caressing the wood in gentle strokes. His lips slowly parted as he studied my face.

The violin players in the corner continued with their melody, accompanied by the low notes of the cello. The music, while somber, was comforting. It was nice to hear something other than my thoughts, heavy breaths, and voices I didn't recognize.

I looked around the room and occasionally glanced at the food on the plate in front of me. I wasn't really hungry, and it didn't even look that great. I just wanted to go home. I had never appreciated anything that I had, but if I could set foot outside I would thank God for everything that had ever entered my life before tonight.

I would have a two hour conversation with Eric Yorkie if I could leave here. I would go on a date with Eric if it meant that I didn't have to stay. Anything that was required of me I would do it to have my freedom, because I felt like a prisoner, and to them I probably was.

The reality that I would never have a chance to leave here was slowly settling in on my chest. It gripped its scaly hands around my heart and forced me to take a good look at my future.

Alice had said that her roommates dwindled after she arrived. One by one they were taken away and never came back. It was hard to imagine that she could be so calm about the situation.

I stared at Aro's empty place in front of him. Why weren't any of them eating?

"Don't you eat?" I asked.

Aro met my gaze and grinned. "Of course."

"This isn't a co-ed dinner?"

"Ladies eat first," he said, and sat back in his throne-like chair. "I suggest you start."

"I'm not hungry."

"I am," he said.

"Then eat."

"It's been a long time since someone invited me to eat." A grin trickled onto his cheeks, and he leaned forward, suddenly appearing interested in the conversation. "Tell me, my dear, what do you know of vampires?"

"Vampires? I guess what every other person knows," I shrugged.

"Let's hear it."

I began listing everything I had ever seen in the movies or read in books. "Stake through the heart, burns in the sunlight, sleeps in coffins, hates garlic, I dunno. Whatever the fairy tales say."

An airy scoff released from down the table, and I instantly turned to see who it was. It was him, eyeing the room speculatively with a mocking grin on his face.

"Fairy tales are for children," he said, eyes lock on me again.

"Edward, please. Where are your manners? If Isabella believes vampires belong in fairy tales then who are we to say they don't?" Aro said.

Edward shook his head objectively.

So that was Edward.

"What if I were to tell you that everything you have ever read or heard about vampires is completely false except for the one obvious fact?" Aro asked with a scanty smile.

"Of course it's false because vampires don't exist," I said.

"What if I were to tell you that they did exist?"

"Then I wouldn't believe you."

"Would solid evidence congeal your thoughts on the subject?"

I shrugged. There wasn't any evidence that he could give me that would make me a believer.

He motioned to the rest of the table. Emmett's expression changed from bored to excitement in a second. His eyes met mine as he picked up the wrist of the girl sitting beside him and brought it to his lips. He kissed it tenderly for a moment then pulled his upper lip back, exposing his straight, white teeth.

I thought it was my imagination running away with me, but in the flickering light I thought I saw them change into jagged edges.

My breathing halted as I watched the display. The woman continued to pick up food with her fork, unaware of what he was doing to her as he bit into the side of her wrist. His teeth opened a wound and instantly perked with dark liquid around the circumference of his lips.

Emmett closed his eyes, a delightful moan escaping him. Down the table, the same horrific act was taking place, and I caught sight of Edward, holding the wrist of his dull brunette to his mouth and eyeing me over the limb.

I couldn't look away as his teeth bared, and he held no reservations about diving into her flesh, sucking on the fresh wound with hooded eyes while staring at me. A trickle escaped him, dripping onto the table.

My eyes widened.

Blood.

They were drinking… fuck! I had get out!

I pushed off my chair onto my feet. I pulled up the skirt of the dress and ran to the door, away from the creatures behind me. My body hit the thick wood and I reached for the latch to pull it open. It wouldn't budge. I tried to push it but it wouldn't move!

Tears latched onto my eyes and blurred my vision as I banged on the door, hopelessly. I screamed even though I knew it wouldn't do any good to do so. But it was all I could do. A tight grip pulled my arm away and flipped my body around where I met a pair of hungry, red eyes.


	6. Blood Covered Ballgown

**VI**

**_BLOOD-COVERED BALLGOWN_**

|. . . : . . .|

I was pushed back into my seat.

"Thank you, Demetri," Aro said.

Demetri loosened his grip on my shoulders and stepped away. An overwhelming sickness twisted in my stomach when I glanced up at Emmett. He had removed himself from the woman's wrist, her blood staining his mouth as he ran his tongue across the fresh wound.

"I believe it's going to be difficult for you to adjust to your new surroundings," Aro said.

I swallowed harshly, feeling lightheaded. "What?"

"Every new addition must learn the rules, and know they will be enforced if they are strayed from. For most, it is easy to accept these rules. However, under the circumstances, I'm afraid it will be more of a challenge for you."

He appeared thoughtful for a moment. "I'm almost wondering if it is a waste of time since the only one that has any influence over you is Jasper."

"What do you mean a waste of time?" I asked.

"If we can not penetrate your thoughts then you are not influenced, a substantial part of our operations here. You are without a price, and not in the valuable term," he paused and folded his hands together, as a faint sigh escaped his lips. "I realize, now, you are useless to me. It's such a shame."

I felt hollow as he spoke those words, like I could cave in on myself. My breathing picked up and stumbled repeatedly. If I was useless then I was expendable.

"But," he said, "we are not without our means in order to have you cooperate. I have a collection of talented individuals here ready to give it a shot. Perhaps, they could cure you." He smiled.

I couldn't utter a sound. It broke me. Every noise that flickered from the darkness caused me to wither. The candles seemed to die, and the music had faded. The situation, no matter how unreal before, had materialized from a nightmare. I was lost on what to do. Everything I had learned over the years from my dad had disappeared.

I hung my head, wanting nothing more than to run away from this room, from this house. I had to find a way to escape. There had to be a way. I refused to believe this place would be my death. I refused to accept these monsters, whatever they were, would construct the way I'd die.

"Would you eat something?" Aro asked.

I shook my head. I was too sick to eat. "No."

"It is within your best interest that you have a little something."

"No, thank you." I muttered.

"Perhaps, tomorrow?"

I didn't answer him. I only stared into my lap. In the corner of my eye, I could see him shift toward me.

"It would be foolish to regard this quiet nature as kindness. I don't have much patience, and you're grinding it quite thin," he said in a low tone.

I found myself looking into his eyes, whether by anger or force. The red irises were entrancing, and delicately mesmerizing. It was a horrific accident that I couldn't look away from, even though I should have.

I had to preserve myself. I had to survive, and if surviving for the moment meant I would have to acknowledge him through a slight gesture, then I would do it. I nodded faintly to keep his temper at bay. I remembered seeing it earlier when I had arrived with James, and I didn't want to be in those shoes.

His eyes still held mine, as if he were searching for something, but he relented and sat back in his chair, leaving me to continue to slouch in mine in the musical silence. And it was there that I knew my fate. I saw my future in that room if I did nothing to help myself. I would become one of the women around me. I would be unfeeling, distant, and maybe delusional, if I did nothing.

My chest felt heavy with this night, and as the songs on the violins progressed further my breaths became more and more shallow. At one point, I felt as though I wasn't breathing at all, as if the very life had been drained from me. And before I could stop it, before I had the chance to refrain from opening my mouth, I asked the question that I feared more than anything.

"Are you going to kill me?"

It echoed. I wasn't sure if it was in the room, or if it was in my head, but it came back to me over and over again.

I felt his eyes on me when he answered. "Yes."

A part of me died. Perhaps the entirety. He had said yes. I closed my eyes in that moment. "Why?"

"Because it is the way things are between our species."

"When?"

"When I tire of you, or when your mind can not be unblocked. Which ever comes first."

"Unblocked?" This is what he meant by curing me?

"When you become susceptible to our gifts and hypnosis can be placed on you. Which reminds me." He rose from his seat and clapped his hand together. "Attention! Attention!" he said without much effort. He continued to speak slow. "As we've come to know, Miss Swan is not up to par with the standards of our house. It is essential we help her establish grounds on which these qualities be met. Is there anyone here that will volunteer to ensure this task is carried out?"

There was no movement, and none of them spoke.

"Come now, anyone?"

I watched each of them down the table. Their faces were straight, showing no signs of enthusiasm or disregard. A loud thud shook me, and the sound of a chair being slid across the floor screamed from across the table.

"What the hell! Why not?" A voice boomed. It was Emmett. He was standing, and looking at me with his arms outstretched. "Come to papa," he said with a wide, dimpled smile.

It took one glance from Aro. "Sit—down," he said deeply.

"Yes, sir," Emmett said and pulled his chair underneath him again to sit.

"I'll do it."

I recognized that one, that voice—that tone. It was him. There was no mistaking. I caught his glance and for a moment he didn't look as frightening. His features weren't pulled unnaturally. He seemed relaxed, easy. But it was only for a moment.

"Marvelous, Edward," Aro said.

The rest of my time at the table was a blur. It seemed to pass in only minutes, and maybe it was. Thinking became illogical. It was foreign as I sat there staring at the edges of the dark table. The grain was smooth and horizontal. I bit at the skin on my lips, peeling the layers off. It was a nervous habit that I had always tried to get over. From the looks of things right now, it wasn't going away any time soon.

A figure came into my peripheral vision. I cringed when he spoke. "Let's go." Edward didn't wait for me to rise from my seat before he stepped away to the door. "Now," he called without turning around.

I rose, realizing that we were some of the last in the room, and followed him. He reached for my arm when I was within his reach, gripping onto my wrist so tightly that I was sure the bones would fracture if he were to apply a little more force.

We climbed flights of stairs and passed through unfamiliar doors. Shock had rendered me as silent as death itself. I couldn't do anything but follow him through the darkened hallways. Everything seemed different in this house now as adrenaline pumped through my veins. The small details that I had once missed didn't go unnoticed, like the crown molding on the ceiling, and the slightly cragged walls rushing past me.

Even though the speed we were traveling seemed ungodly, I could see the tiny crevices dent into the paint. My heels were still attached to my feet although the height seemed minimal now. It was nothing compared to what I had witnessed in that dining room.

They truly are monsters, but vampires? It couldn't be. Vampires are a myth, legends, untrue stories, folklore to scare the daylights out of little children. They aren't real! But, I just saw it with my own eyes. I saw Emmett's teeth. They were sharp points. I saw that girl's skin tear open. I saw him drink her blood.

Then there was Edward, the same thing happened with him. And none of those girls did a goddamn thing about it! Would it happen to me? Would I be like them, sitting at the table allowing some leech to drink my blood?

He dragged me into a room that was the same as all the others it seemed; a dim atmosphere. The door slammed behind us and my breath snared in my throat at the sound. I backed away from him until I was up against a wall on the opposite side of the room and he looked over me once before smirking slyly and stepping back.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked. There was a gleam in his eyes that made my spine tingle and his posture was defiant.

"No," I answered simply. I didn't want him to know the truth, the power that he held over me. The truth was I was terrified of him, more so than any of the other men I had encountered tonight, including James.

He walked to a window on the adjacent wall next to a large, black four-poster bed. It was draped with thick, dark linens which didn't contain any patterns I could see. They were quite plain. He pushed back the curtains and allowed the silver moon-light to interrogate his features and irradiate his black-on-black suit. He appeared calm.

My eyes wandered around the room, unlocking the minor things which could tell a secret he wouldn't want me to know. A wall-length, built-in shelf behind me was crowded with books of various titles that I couldn't make out. The paint on the spines were faded with age and some were bound intricately with twine. There must have been over five-hundred.

At the opposite end, where the adjacent wall met, a piano's grand form was lit by the glowing light. The white keys stood out in sharp contrast against the pitch black of the body. I had never played but always wanted to learn.

There was something about the piano that struck me although I never knew what it was that had fascinated me—it was just an instrument.

He stared out the window for an ample moment before turning to look over at me.

"Humans, here, have the luxury of becoming cocooned into their own thoughts, so they never quite know what they are doing here. You, however, are going to feel everything, you're going to see everything, and you will remember all of it. How does that make you feel?"

"I don't know." Scared. I'm terrified. "I just want to go home."

"Why should you be allowed to leave when others before you have said the same thing and are still here?"

"For the reasons you said, I'm not like the others. Even that Aro guy said I'm worthless."

"And for those reasons, you must stay. You know about us. Nothing will make you forget."

"I won't tell anybody what you are doing here. I won't tell them where you are. I don't even know where I am." The desperation that lit my voice was beyond horrid. I couldn't even imagine what I sounded like to him.

But the truth was that I couldn't care less what I sounded like. I just wanted to go home. I wanted to walk in through my apartment door and smother myself in my pillows blanketed with the fragrance of my shampoo. I wanted to curl myself into my comforter that I knew would be cool but would warm after I had lied there for a while. I didn't just want it, I needed it, because what ever this was I couldn't have any part in it. This wasn't how life was supposed to be.

I became a silent quivering mass in a dark, still room. Dread ran through my blood and caused me to shake with uncontrollable emotions the longer he allowed me to carry on. I had to wonder if he was still here and I couldn't help but steal a glance in the direction that he was in. He was still standing there, staring at me while the silver light beyond the glass clung to the curves on one side of his face while shadow masked the other.

I knew nothing about him and I didn't want to but it was obvious he was more than just flesh and bone in that illumination. His skin was the color of ash, but didn't look as delicate. There were no wrinkles or pimples, no scars or marks of any kind nor was there a hint of hair at his chin. But he was bruised under his eyes and his lips were tinted dark from the drink he had just swallowed.

He wasn't human.

Humans didn't look so unhealthy unless they were bordering death. Edward wasn't on the brink of it, he was completely past it. It was like someone threw him in a grave, left him there for a couple of days then dug him back up. If he truly was a vampire then he fit the image of what I thought they would always look like.

His teeth looked sharp even from this distance and my chest heaved at the thought of him using them on me like he had with the girl at the table.

He asked the same question he asked when we first came in, "Are you afraid of me?"

I nodded.

"That's what I thought."

A swift tear perked and ran. He saw it then and his lips turned upward as he stepped towards me, his shoes making a thick resound on the wooden floor.

"Don't think you can, for even a moment, hide your thoughts from me. I had a pet like you once... a long time ago," he said as he stepped closer. "On the outside, she appeared to be made of stone. She was stubborn and thick-headed."

He passed by my side and began to circle behind me. "But once we got past the formalities"—his fingertips ran lazily against my shoulder and through my hair—"and she opened her mind to me, she wasn't anything more than a lost, little girl, who was more scared than any human who came before her."

His fingers completed their journey and tattered off my right shoulder. A chill crept down my spine from his cool touch and the meeting of our eyes. His sight flittered down the length of my body then back up again before he turned and made his way to the piano behind him.

"Since your thoughts are so encrypted and you are reluctant to share, let us see if I can persuade them."

He took a seat on the black, padded piano bench and held his hands over the ivory keys that jumped from the darkness. He etched out a triplet figuration as he feathered over the instrument, coaxing the notes with a single touch.

As the monster sat at that bench and produced a harmony, I became lost. While I could still feel the tears turning my cheeks sodden I began to care less about wiping them away. Nothing else seemed to matter except for that song. Even though the tune was nothing short of possessive and powerful to me, it held me in its will and refused to let go the further it climaxed into the stiff low octaves. I regressed from the fear that I felt when he had looked me in the eyes and found a shard of peace.

Everything slipped away. It was only a dark room with a song and that sliver of comfort.

A harsh chime of low and high keys rung through my ears; he had slammed his fingers down on the keys, bringing me out of a comforting state. He was off the bench in a quick, robust movement and his steps brought him inches from my face.

"You seem to be an exception," he said, his words swelling between nearly-clenched, sharp teeth. His upper lip pulled into a snarl. "No one has ever completely evaded me before. Do not think you will be different. Until then, I will be keeping a _very_ close eye on you."

He snatched my wrist from my side and brought it to his tainted mouth. I could already see the satisfaction on his face as he ran his lips over my wrist in search of the prize that he desired from me. I knew what was coming and I was powerless to stop it. I couldn't bring myself to pull away from his grip as his teeth bore.

He sunk into my flesh and drank, ignoring the fallen shards which dropped onto my dress.


	7. Snow White and the Seven Whores

**VII**

**[Outtake in Edward's point of view.]**

_Snow White and the Seven Whores_

|. . . : . . .|

I pulled her close to me, the panicked voice in her head over all others floating in the air. Her thoughts were incoherent, her adrenaline to blame for the fleeting words, which I assumed would be absurd in holy complexion. They always were.

Fear hummed inside of her and penetrated into my fingertips as they slid up her warm arms to her neck. Pure and soothing.

I missed the anxious feeling of prey, and she dripped of it.

I pushed her red hair away from the meat of her neck and flushed her body against mine to rein in the parade of scents tugging at my passages.

Short, shallow breaths swirled and mixed with the call of her blood as I placed my mouth over the throb in her throat. I relished in her panic, and enjoyed feeling the rapid cadence of her heart against my chest as I pushed my way into her soft flesh.

**Thip.**

The unmistakable sound of skin being punctured elated me, but caused her to move fiercely against my hands. A handful of the hair at her scalp and a firm grip on her lower back kept her from moving as I sank into the morsel which gushed at my expense.

Her vitality coated my tongue and throat as I extracted from the tear. Her pulse throbbed against my lips, and I synced with it, giving me a luxurious amount of her blood in a single pull, taming the dryness residing within me. It had been days since I fed.

The hot liquid was smooth and untouched, and if it weren't for the prayers to her god, I would have considered her a half-way decent meal, but the persistent, inner ramblings had slowed, distracting me, and I moaned in disgust with each passage she recited.

I knew them well, even though it had been hundreds of years since I studied them. But now, the thought of a god was something else to laugh at.

_God, forgive me. Forgive me of my sin._

Her pulse began to slow, so I plucked myself from her neck and gathered the remaining drops with my tongue after sealing the wound closed with a pass of my tongue. Her red hair hung behind her as her head lolled. When her eyes met mine, I wanted to destroy the pleas that she had been repeating in her head.

"There is no forgiveness for what has been abandoned," I said and she clenched her teeth at my words, releasing a shushed cry. I discarded her onto the bed and stepped away to push the call button situated on the wall next to the door to my chambers.

"Yes, sir?" a voice responded.

"I'm finished."

"Yes, sir."

I crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed next. Her eyes met mine, and she inched away to the best of her ability and then cupped a hand over the sealed wound. I pushed her hand away from it without forced effort.

"Keep your filthy hands away. You'll infect it."

She had already emerged from her hypnotic state. I could see it in her glossy eyes and along the furrow of her brow. She never stayed under long, but it was nothing that a few more feedings wouldn't cure. Soon, she'd be like the rest of them, unfortunately. I was going to miss her raw emotions.

I leaned closer to her. Her green eyes bouncing from my mouth to my eyes.

_Don't._

"It's a little late for protests," I said and swept some of her hair away that had fallen in her face during her movements. I wanted her to be able to see the fresh cast her blood had given my eyes. She flinched.

_Don't._

She amused me.

"You know I can hear voices other cannot, and I'll tell you something. In all my years, I've never heard a voice from some invisible place from beyond." Her breathing and heart rate picked up as my lips touched her lobe in passing. "This may be hard for you to believe but indulge the thought while you're here and allow it to sink in…there is no such thing as God."

She sucked her lips in and looked away.

"Hmm? What do you think of that?"

She shook her head.

_I don't care what you believe._

"Don't you think if there were, in fact, a God, he wouldn't have allowed you or these other women to be taken? Or those prayers that you say silently at night until you drift off to sleep would be answered, and you could return to your refined, mindless life in the center of the decay of humanity? Then you could be the crop for some scrotum-sucking momma's boy who will serve you a multitude of empty promises."

I continued to break her with a calm voice.

"But has that happened yet? Maybe he simply refuses to acknowledge your pleas? Does your God allow his children to suffer? Would he allow a creature like me to exist?"

A knock filtered through the thick wooden door.

"Let me give you some good advice. Never love something which doesn't love you back. You being in this room is testament your God is false. There's only the Devil, and he resides here." I was off the furniture and at the window, pulling the curtain back in an instant to let in the afternoon light.

"Enter!"

The red-head away was taken away, the only trace of her existence sliding into my stomach. I was left in the company of voices around the house, but I longed for silence. I filled the bath half-way then stripped and submerged myself. I closed my eyes at the sweet sound of muffled thoughts which couldn't quite penetrate the water's surface.

Flickers of my memories seeped from the blackness—an equally torturous vision. I only wanted silence. Was it too much to ask for peace and quiet? The deprivation of others was a mere wish.

Several hours later, the once-warm water had cooled in the confines of the porcelain, but the temperature didn't bother me. It was the only time I felt anything other than the burn in my hollow from thirst, which seemed to be frequent as of late. Words and images overwhelmed me as if they had burst through a barrier, like water overcoming a dam, as I rose from my watery shelter.

I quickly focused in on a group of cell mates who were mere whispers in the background. They were calm; a good sign they were still under the suggestions placed on them. After a quick scan, all still appeared well.

I stepped onto a mat to dry my feet, standing momentarily before walking into my chamber to soak in the last remaining hour of daylight. I stood against the elongated glass and allowed the sun to thaw my body. Soon, it would ride the horizon outside my window, the sign to prepare for dinner.

I grew increasingly tired of donning a formal suit for meager samples. I longed to drain life in one sitting, to feel my ashen stomach slosh in thick liquid; to be full for weeks and not feel the need to drink until the thirst returned.

I debated it weeks ago when I ventured outside the house when all were resting. I'd convinced myself I was only going for a walk. Fresh air. I hadn't been out in over a month at that time, and the prison of concrete and glass added to my constant state of restlessness. The temperature was slightly warmer then, and there was a certain crispness in the air on Hollywood Boulevard that night.

I stood against the wall at the entrance of the Wax Museum and watched as people filed past like drones set to walk a certain path, completely unaware of the danger inches away from them. I could've plucked one of them from the steady crowd. I would've led them into the darkness after a simple suggestion of trust and desire; they would want me to lead them far away.

But in the dark, their fear of the unknown would rapidly develop, causing their heart to race and their breaths to stagger. I would've savored the bits and pieces of them as I feasted on their life. Another disappearance. Another unsolved mystery. The headlines would've read: HOLLYWOOD CLAIMS ANOTHER SOUL.

It would have been easy, but after hours of lingering in front of darkened doorways and pacing my steps behind traveling singletons, I felt nothing but the pull of my coven and the bed that I could lay on.

If I were to kill, I'd want the risk and effort to be worthwhile. I'd want the blood to be rich and satisfactory. None of the humans that night would've offered the solace I was seeking. Hollywood is funny that way—so many to choose from, but none worth the plunge.

I continued to stare at the trees which hit hard against the elaborately painted sky.

It was a changing work of art with no value. I lost myself in the time and clouds overhead, a patient to their pointless tasks. Twilight broke and changed the particles in the air to the radiant colors nature only gave at this time. I admired the sight until voices erupted around me in new frenzy. In that moment, the light became obsolete.

The vampires' thoughts rose like clockwork across the expanse of the house. Several girls were pulled from their chambers and were readied for dinner.

Then I was bombarded by the same image at once. A new face was a repercussion around me through the minds of those that saw her. Her strewn, ochre hair and determined eyes coupled with the strong expression which was a combination of fear and hatred.

_Isabella—_the name lined up again then again. Felix described her scent as ambrosial while James wanted nothing more than to kill her.

I cared not for the translucent turmoil from my coven. New meat meant one thing to me—fearful and distressed thoughts to digest. Certainly the situation was a nightmare for her, and the terror wouldn't be reined in this night.

I smiled as I brought the drapes together and I turned away from the window, excited at the prospect of this new girl. Still unclothed, I paced the room, searching for an unfamiliar voice to give me valuable substance.

Jasper's eyes provided me with the details of her situation. Her face was stricken, tarried on the edge of flight, as Aro approached her in the banquet hall, but Felix held her with ease.

I closed my eyes to concentrate harder on that area. "Where _are_ you?" A growl erupted from my chest in frustration as I came up empty. She kissed his hand, unwillingly. My movements halted as I gripped around the projection as he touched her hand. Nothing. The images that would skim through his head were now vials of darkness. Nothing of her trip to the house even though the medicine had worn.

_Nothing, _Aro thought.

"Can't be," I muttered at the realization at what she might be.

**=x=**

An hour later, I began to make my way to dinner, dressed in my only black suit. Jasper was at the bottom of the stairs, exerting his exhaustion from the emotional struggle to keep Isabella calm.

"I have a firm appreciation for mind control," he muttered as I stepped away from the stairs. The black jacket of his three-piece black suit hung over his forearm.

"I can only imagine the hell you endured," I said.

"You saw didn't you? It was like herding a chicken."

I grinned. "Bits."

"So, you're aware she's beyond Aro's gift. Does she elude you as well?"

I ground my teeth together. "For now, brother. But the human mind is simple, and something so simple can be shattered."

"What makes you so confident?" he asked in amusement.

"What's your term? This isn't my first rodeo?"

"You have plans?"

"Always. This human is no different from the others."

"For my sake, I hope you are right. I can't tolerate the constant struggle. I haven't had to switch emotions for the sake of a human in years. The task has thinned me."

I didn't wish ill-fortune on Jasper, quite the opposite, but if truth be told I desired his ability. The complexity of his skill was marvelous. I could only imagine the emotions I could inflict.

"What's wrong?" Emmett asked as he approached.

As always, he wore his blue suit. The color reminded him of his mortal irises. He longed to hold onto a piece of what once was. Newborns are nostalgic.

"The infectious wreck that was brought in today," Jasper answered, his voice monotone.

"Oh yeah! The shower girl. She's hot. I wouldn't mind having a go," Emmett said and crossed his arms over his large chest.

"Good luck convincing her. She's a pain in the ass."

"Oh, I'll convince her. Just gotta whip it out, ya know? Cha-ching!" Emmett smiled.

"How can you be caught up in the sexual aspects of these drones?" I asked. The thought bored me.

"Unlike you old guys, I can still get it up. Does it even still function? I mean, it still works when you get that old, right? It doesn't dry up and shit?" His eyes glimmered in the amber glow of the the candlelight.

I finally gave in and smiled. "It still works, trust me."

When I saw Isabella in the banquet hall I became even more frustrated. A small piece of logic had convinced me I was unable to read her because of the distance, that perhaps she was a shield that could only block me when I was not within the appropriate parameters.

After minutes of sitting at the table with her and the others and not hearing anything, I wanted to inflict pain. Carving a fingernail into her skin or cracking a small bone in her finger would suffice. Pain was a technique used to overwhelm the mind and picked at the thoughts from the darkest crevices. I was no stranger to this, and if needed to, I would be happy to use it again.

I barely noticed the human at my side, eating her vitamin-induced grass and wheat so I might purge the nutrition from her without affecting her heath. I licked my dry lips and listened while Aro purged Isabella of her ignorance of our kind. Then, she said something so outrageous, so unbelievable that I couldn't help but scoff at the mere thought of it. Fairy tales? How could she think that?

"Fairy tales are for children," I said.

""Edward, please. Where are your manners? If Isabella believes vampires belong in fairy tales then who are we to say they don't?" Aro asked.

I shook my head as he continued and became disconnected from the outward conversation. Jasper was just as bored as I was. He was tired of her as well. His mind was elsewhere, and much like me, he didn't care for the girl at his side.

_Feast, gentlemen._

When I looked down the table at Aro, he held his hand out to us, gesturing to drink. I absently picked up the wrist of the woman at my side and shifted my gaze to Isabella. Her eyes were glossy as we bit into our mindless rations. The warm liquid plunged down my throat as I held her gaze.

I could see it in her eyes; the terror she desperately tried to hide tore her from the table and sent her flying into the doors.

Demetri quickly retrieved her. By the time she was at the table again, I had already sealed the wound I had been drinking from. Doubt entered Aro's mind. He was unsure of whether or not he should keep her. He was concerned about her anatomy, and the adjustments that she would have to make.

_It's not worth the time or effort, _he thought as he explained to her how our house worked.

Perhaps it wasn't worth his time, but there was a chance I could break the barriers. It wasn't the first time I would have done it, and the opportunity arose when he asked this of one of us.

They were all silent with their thoughts running rampant. None of them wanted her. Jasper drifted on the edge of madness and knew that if no one spoke up then she would go to him since he could control her to an extent.

Images passed by quickly of the human in compromising positions. The blood from her neck flowed over her naked body as she was sexed thoroughly. Emmett shifted in his chair. He wanted her, for more than the intended purpose. Aro knew this when Emmett stood.

So long as she expelled hypnosis, I would have an excuse to not calm her fear, and the mere thought of showing her my nature excited me immensely. I was alone in my aspirations. The others didn't regard this opportunity as I did.

"I'll do it," I said.

"Marvelous, Edward."

_You're probably more suited for the job than the others_, he finished inside his head.

He wasn't the only one grateful. Jasper repeated a line of thanks in his thoughts.

Our congregation last but a few minutes longer. "Thank you, friends, for joining me on this night," Aro said, dismissing his guests and rising from his chair.

_Feel free to test her. Let me know how she is. I have no desire until you fix this problem, _Aro directed.

She wouldn't be anything special, but I nodded, and watched him and the others leave. I assessed my new project as she stared absently at the corners of the table. I could only imagine what was going through her head; the terror must have been outrageous, and I was missing all of it!

I pulled the girl to the privacy of my chambers. When we arrived she kept herself at a reasonable distance, backing up against the far wall and eyeing me warily. I studied her from a distance and chuckled at her expense. An amusing human.

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked, placing my hands behind my back.

"No."

She was a liar. Not a very good one. I walked to the window and drew the curtains back. Another still night.

I could hear her broken breaths as they came and went with distress, like all the others on their first night. And, like all the others, I didn't feel sorry for her. My sympathy for living creatures didn't exist when I was a boy, either. One of the few memories I retained of my human life.

I remember sitting in front of a trap fashioned from sticks and twine, and holding a rabbit in my hands as it screeched and clawed me, struggling to break free of my grasp. It was an ill-attempt. I strangled it.

When I looked at her, she'd barricaded herself between my books and piano.

"Humans, here, have the luxury of becoming cocooned into their own thoughts, so they never quite know what they are doing here. You, however, are going to feel everything, you're going to see everything, and you will remember all of it. How does that make you feel?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just want to go home."

She wept, asked questions and said things that were almost absurd, but not unheard of. They were the same ponderings that they had all asked at one point after they arrived. All of them wanted to go home. Home was only an illusion now. It was something that could only be dreamed of at night when they slept. Or in Isabella's case, it would be present even when she was awake.

Moments later, I found myself snatching her wrist to my mouth. It was in anger I did this. A haze of events which led me to anger.

She was motionless as I broke her skin to test her blood, but I didn't expect to be convincing myself to stop the flow, to pull away, but I couldn't. It's match didn't exist. It was a substance I would kill for, and the silence beside it was beautiful, treasured. Her fear and the intoxicating taste of her blood.

I had to slow. I had to stop!

But she was sweet, rich, complete, filling. My head buzzed with sensations, as if she were a drug and I her abuser.

An addiction.

I pulled away, having to hold her weight in my arms.

Ideas came to me as I sealed the fresh wound and laid her limp body on my bed. I would try to break her and get inside her head for Aro's amusement, but it was my hope I wouldn't. If she wavered an inch, all would be lost. Aro may have wanted her for the good of the house, but I had developed other intentions in those moments lost in her blood, and they didn't involve happy endings.


	8. The Temperament of Wild Animals

**VIII:**

**_The Temperament of Wild Animals_**

|. . . : . . .|

I jerked awake in the pitch black, disoriented, lightheaded. Something was clawing at my chest, a dry thirst accompanied by eeriness. It was odd to feel this in my own room, and why was it so dark?

There was a window there. I could have sworn it was there, but now it's gone.

The bed felt different. It wasn't as warm as it usually was when I woke up. The comforter was missing. I must have kicked it off in the middle of the night. No, it's here. I never pulled it back. How did I get into my apartment?

My fingers brushed against the bed; he material was too silky. I pressed down; the padding wasn't as firm.

Nothing about this bed was familiar.

Oh, God. Am I in Jacob's? Please no.

I ascended more into consciousness, becoming aware of my body. My arm felt heavy and a dull pain throbbed to the bone, like I'd slept on it wrong. Then I remembered – I remembered the pain when he bit me, and even more so was the sting that coursed through my arm, like acid was eroding my veins, or a fire had been lit from the inside. It was still there.

His eyes. Oh God, his eyes! Blood red.

Maybe it was all a dream. One big, fat dream. It had to be, right?

He claimed he was a vampire, but vampires didn't exist. I grew up believing that, _knowing that_, but it went against anything that my eyes had seen.

If it wasn't a dream, then where was I? I could only recall everything fading after he bit me. Had I passed out? And where was I now?

But... more than any of those questions was the more frightening: where was he?

I tried to adjust to the darkness, hoping to find light any where. None. Pitch black.

I held my hand up in front of my face. I couldn't see it. I sat quietly, listening for a miniscule sound that would alert me to someone else in the room. Nothing.

Was he here?

I found the edge of the bed and allowed my feet to dangle over the sides, still hazy from my sleep. My arm ached when I put leaned on it. Between the pain and the North Pole temperatures, I shivered.

My toes pressed onto the cold floor. He took my shoes off, and while thankful, I wished there was a barrier between my skin and the ice. The structure of the room wasn't hard to remember. The door and the end of the bed were parallel. I only had to turn right and walk straight.

I tip-toed through the dark, holding my hands out in front of me. The dress brushed lightly against my bare ankles, another piece of evidence this was reality.

My hand ran along the edge of a smooth wall. I walked further, and nearly came out of my skin when I felt the embossed designs of the door under my fingers. Freedom. I would get out of here!

When I slipped upon the handle and pushed down then up, my heart sank. It was locked. I searched vigorously in the dark for a lock to turn over or push, but found nothing.

I'm not sure which came first; panic or fear.

Perhaps they were the same now and I couldn't tell them apart.

My heart pounded as I thought of how to escape. I rested my hand on the door, that stupid piece of wood. It was the only thing that blocked me from finding a way out of the house. If I could get past it, I could get past anything. I had a chance to escape, I know I did. They said I could block them from getting inside my head. If that was the case then I had an advantage.

The room lit up, evaporating the darkness. I turned. I was not alone. He was there, across the room.

He sat in an antique-looking, Victorian chair next to the piano, his eyes flaming brightly, and his hair erected in all directions. He looked nearly mad, yet calm. His ankle was propped on his knee, his entire body completely still.

I'd always heard and read that someone can look into a person's soul if they were to look long enough. In that moment, I lived the verse. He stared at me as if he were searching, and I briefly wondered if he would find it.

"The door is locked," he said with an obvious tone. "Where were you going to go once you made it out of this room?"

My body went rigid, but I answered, "I would've found a way out."

He cocked an eyebrown and smirked. "That would be interesting to see; a simple girl escaping from a house with a horde of vampires living inside." He rose fluidly and slowly started for me. "If you could achieve that then you deserve freedom, not that it would be rewarded to you."

"Stay away from me." I pushed myself into the door even more, pedaling my feet against the floor as leverage.

"You're safe… for now."

My body jerked at his quick movement. He was by my side in an instant. I moved to the center of the room, farther away from freedom. "Stay away!"

"You need to be examined." He followed.

"No," I said strongly.

"It's vital you're looked at."

"Looked at?" I asked.

"Venom can be harmful, even fatal if you have a reaction to it." He stepped closer.

Reaction? My wrist! "You bit me! I'm not going to turn into one of you am I?" I nearly yelled.

He shushed me, the look on his face was surprise and shock. "Lower your voice. It takes more than a bite to turn a human." He grinned. "If that weren't the case, there'd be no more of you left."

My legs hit the back of the bed.

"Sit," he commanded.

I did what I was asked and sat on the edge, not making myself too comfortable.

He picked up my wrist and ran the tips of his fingers over my veins, searching. He let go, and my wrist to fell. I wasn't quick enough to stop the movement; it felt so heavy and uncontrollable.

_I_ felt heavy and uncontrollable, as if my life were teetering on an uneven platform, hovering above death. It was a ride I couldn't stop. It was a lift hill that was too steep, too scary but too dangerous to leap from. The worst part of it all was I was alone.

Edward grabbed my chin and lifted my eyes to his. He turned my face from side to side then forward again. Satisfied, he let go then touched my neck under my jaw. His fingers were cool and his skin felt stiff, rough. He allowed his head to drop slightly and remained in silence as my pulse throbbed against him.

I released a breath as he pulled away from me. "You appear fine," he said. "If you begin to feel nauseated, lightheaded, numb, or if your chest begins to hurt then it's something that we need to know. If you haven't had signs by now then you should be in decent order."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. You need to eat when you're served meals. That will help reduce the amount of pain you are experiencing and will replenish your health quicker."

"So you can feed more?" I asked.

"You're quick," he said and tapped a finger to his forehead then put his back to me to cross the room. What ever he was messing with clinked and clanked, and when he turned back he had a glass of clear liquid.

"Here," he said, "drink this."

I huffed. There was no telling what it was. "No."

He put my hands around the glass like I was incapable, as if I were a toddler, then said sternly, "Drink it."

His hands lingered on mine momentarily, his touch an awakening if I was by chance still dreaming. He straightened then backed away. I sniffed the contents. Odorless. I _was _really thirsty. "What is it?" I asked.

"Water."

His face was straight. Perhaps he was telling the truth? He crossed the room, fooling with a trinket on the bookcase, and by my better judgment I put the glass to my lips and took a sip. It wasn't generous by any means, but it wasn't small either. I allowed the liquid to sit in my cheeks for a moment and swished it around. Tasteless.

Water. It had to have been.

I drank the entire glass, but my throat still felt dry and achy. The parched feeling was almost unbearable. I offered the glass to him, secretly wishing that he would pour another glass.

Edward lowered his hand from the shelf while glaring at me. "Put it on the table," he said then pointed to the nightstand.

I rose. "Could I have some more?" My voice was hoarse and groggy.

"No."

I moved my tongue along the roof of my mouth to see if my thirst could wait but my throat flared in response. I swallowed. I knew I would be miserable if I didn't have another glass, and it would only grow with each minute. I wouldn't be able to sleep or concentrate on anything if I felt as if I had cotton balls shoved into my glands. The idea turned my stomach into knots.

"Why not?" I asked. My irritation was obvious.

His chest stiffened in response and he squeezed his eyes shut while his lips pressed into a tight line, like he was putting a cap on an outburst. "Are you going to continuously whine all the time when you don't get your way?"

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's just water. Why can't I have some more? Give me the pitcher, I'll get it myself." I took a step forward with my glass in hand.

"No!" He took a defiant step forward to match mine. "I don't want you touching my things. You'll dirty them."

I stepped back with unsure reason. He was ridiculous.

"If you want water, you have to earn water."

"You can't deny me water!"

"Yes," he glared, "I can."

He turned away from me to keep his ragged, disgruntled faces to himself. My stomach twisted and panged with raw hatred. It seemed like an extreme form of punishment to deny someone something to drink when their thirst was insatiable.

In that moment of his blunt dismissal, he cut the last string of calmness I'd been holding onto. It was a stupid idea, and I was unsure of the outcome, but I was driven by my impulse to act. I felt careless, exhausted, and angry as I made for the metal pitcher on the table. I reached for the handle and readied to tilt the liquid into my glass, but firm, cold fingers clenched around my wrist.

He squeezed.

Hard.

I felt the bones giving to the pressure as he pulled my arm upward and away from my intended target. I had broken and fractured bones when I was younger, but never had I felt the volatile chaos the shift would bring. Time slowed and each second seemed to last twice as long, allowing me an excruciating glance into the change. My vision became blurry as I squinted against the disrupting pain which forced the dull ache I felt before out of my mind. I cried out against the sawing presence that insisted I look at him.

He showed no signs of release as his eyes pierced into mine, collecting my pain and dispersing it heavily onto his features. He scowled at my cries and the force on my wrist tightened. My mind went black and red as the pressure increased and my body froze. My screams turned into silence but my mouth resumed its open state. They were on the verge of cracking. The monstrous grit flared and the glass that I had been holding shattered as it hit the floor.

With a growl and a sneer he pushed me away from him and I fell backwards. I rolled over on my side and collected my wrist with my hand, twisting it in hopes to ease the discomfort still ringing through my bones. The rapping of his shoes were faint but still plugged a disturbance in the relief I felt from being away from him. It was disrupted as he crouched next to me and rested his forearms on his knees.

"You don't get it, do you?" He said with contempt. His voice became low and he spoke slowly. "Don't fuck with me."

I ground my teeth together and took deep, filling breaths through my nose as he rose to step over me. I sat up and placed my wrist into my lap while staring down at the black, silky dress. I softly moved my fingers over the material wanting to become lost in the feeling, wanting to drown my misfortune in the blackness, wanting to preserve a piece of its luxury even though it was an uncomfortable atrocity and I hated it. But, I held it.

The stench of humility plunged into my lungs as I stood from where I had fallen. His back was at me, concealing whatever it was that he was fooling with in his hand. I couldn't ignore my thoughts as they drifted towards violence. I wanted to stab him. I wanted it more than anything – more than water. But, sticking an object into his back would ignite his fury. I knew I would suffer for it. I knew I would lose, again.

He turned and pushed a white object towards me.

"Take off the dress," he said.

"What?" My hand clutched the material at the side of my thighs.

"Take it off and put this on."

Before I could refuse or take what was in his hands he tossed it to me. I examined it; a white gown I slipped on before dinner. They wouldn't be so bad if a bra and panties accompanied them. I eased a glance around the room. I didn't see anything to duck behind so I wouldn't be naked in front of him.

"Change."

I wrung the gown around in my hands. "Uh… is there a bathroom I could change in?"

"Your modesty is something you're going to have to get over."

I don't know if it was the pain in my wrist, the irritable heaviness of my eyes, or the questions gone unanswered, but I snapped. I threw the gown down on the floor and placed my well hand on my hip, took a deep breath, and didn't stop the anger from bubbling under the surface. "You know what, dude? Fuck you! I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for _any_ of this!"

Before I could continue his lips twisted back into a hideous sneer. I froze as he took two long strides towards me and gripped me under my jaw with one hand. My hands instantly gripped onto his arm to steady or ready myself for whatever he was going to do as he spun me around forcefully. He pulled me towards him, my back hit his chest and his lips were at my ear. "You're under the impression that I care what you have to say, and you're wrong," his voice a low hiss. "I tire of arguing, of these games! If you try to fight anymore, I will surely fracture your wrist. It won't stop me from what I need from you."

He spoke against the sensitive skin under my ear. I shivered in disgust from his cool breath. His hand released from my throat and he reined me in tighter, locking me in a backwards embrace by gripping onto my shoulder. What was he going to do? At first I thought he meant to place his teeth into my neck, but it was made clear what his intentions were when his finger or knuckle dragged slightly down my spine before tugging on the back of my dress – the zipper! I ran cold as panic seized my chest as my breath plummeted from me. As the teeth split, the edges folded and loosened the once-firm fabric which covered my body. My torso was the first to feel the slack, then my waist, and when he was finished the strap against my shoulder was being lifted by his fingers.

"Stop," I said quietly. It was a plea.

What he was doing hurt me, only not physically. It left me with bitter confusion to decide the fate of the dress, but it wasn't really an option. If I left it to him he would have a power over me. He would decide how it would fall. He would decide when. He would see me. He would feel me. I couldn't let him have that power. I didn't want him touching my bare skin.

Surprisingly, he backed away from me, loosening the firm snare his arm had across the front of my shoulders and neck. I hadn't realized how tense I was when he was touching me. My entire body was a hard cast of fear and it didn't change when he stepped back.

I looked over my shoulder while holding the dress in place at my chest. I expected to meet his eyes but he had his back quietly turned to me while he looked straight ahead at the opposite wall. I wondered for a moment what he was doing but he spoke.

"Hurry up and change," he said, his tone harsh.

I licked my dry lips and tried to breathe slowly. His action was surprising, almost relieving yet my stomach was in knots as I reached down for the white cotton robe on the floor. I took one last glance behind me, assuring myself that he wasn't sneaking a peek, and then quickly let the dress slump to the floor. I slipped the other article over my head faster than I thought I could and picked up the dress. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it, so I folded it over my forearm.

"Done," I said softly and turned back to him.

He spun slowly on his heel as he spoke. "Your modesty is uncalled for in this room. If there is ever a need for you to undress again, remember that. Your," he gestured with his hand, "physical aspects don't interest me."

"I just... don't like to undress in front of people, regardless."

"Non-sense," he huffed. "Surely you have had sex. He was a stranger once. Did you turn off the light first?" He chuckled.

"There is a difference between a boyfriend and a stranger I have no feelings for."

"I see no difference," he said as he slipped the dress on a hanger and hung it on a rack on the back of a door. "After all, a mate is a stranger at some point. And you're never truly familiar until you've met them with deep physical admission."

"A person could know another person without sex, but it's probably been a while since you've gone on a date."

Either he didn't hear me, or he ignored me as he pressed a small red button on the wall. "Send someone to take the new girl to her room," he said.

I was relieved to hear I would be getting out of here. I didn't want to spend another second locked in the same space as him.

Edward lingered close to the red button and waited. I was unsure why.

"Hello?" he said forcefully. When he didn't get an answer, which I assumed that's what he was waiting for, he hit the wall with the side of his clenched fist and murmured, "I'm not a fucking handler."

A handler?

"You make it sound like you're dealing with wild animals."

He rubbed his thumb across his thick eyebrow as he cocked his head at me. "Well, that is precisely what you are."

He unlocked the locks with a thin, round, peg-like key he took from his pocket and locked them once we were in the hall. It was unnaturally quiet. I wondered what time it was. My hazy state and the darkness when I woke up might suggest that it was early in the morning. The quiet was a backdrop to the heavy, falling thuds of his shoes. I walked bare foot with the heels and dress in my hand.

I usually didn't mind being bare since I wasn't the type of girl that wore socks, but now the feel of the cold, wooden floors under my feet made me feel considerably more naked.

I couldn't help but wonder what my dad was doing at that very moment. Had he tried to call me? Had anyone tried to call? Were they worried that I didn't answer my phone? Did anyone realize that I was missing? Someone had to know. Jessica and Angela would know, unless Jake got to them.

Jake.

The very thought of his name made me furious. I could see the last smirk on his face as if he were in front of me. He knew what would become of my friends and I was powerless to stop it when it could have been prevented in the first place.

I should have declined his invitation that night, but would it have turned out any different? Would saying no have kept me from coming here? I couldn't be sure and I was beginning to think I never would.

I recognized the hallway that my room was on when we got to it. Even though I had only been down it twice, I recalled the flickering wall lamp past the shower room door.

Edward stopped and released my arm with hesitation. He furrowed his brow and studied me before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small key ring with several keys on it. He spoke to me while he found the right one to turn the locks on the door. "I'll be watching you and we'll meet again in a few days to begin your treatment."

I nodded slightly then entered the room when he opened the door.

I took a deep breath when he closed it behind me and when I was sure he was gone I released it while slumping to the floor. My eyes were heavy with tears and fatigue as I wept where I had fallen. It was hopeless.

It wasn't long before a hand patted my shoulder. In the dim light I recognized Rosalie's features as she attempted to comfort me quietly. She never asked what was wrong nor did she offer anything other than a soft _Shh _against our quiet surroundings in an attempt to calm me.

I knew I had woken her and I apologized as quietly as I could.

She only murmured, "It's okay," then took the dress and shoes from me to hang them back in the closet.

She sat next to me for a few minutes with her legs curled underneath her while rubbing my arm. I didn't want sympathy but it felt nice to have someone's kindness next to me. I began to feel my toes grow colder, and my legs soon after. In that moment, I couldn't have cared.

"Come on," Rosalie whispered. "Let's get some sleep."

I nodded then stood.

She pulled back the blankets on one side so she could slip into the middle. Another body was on the other side of her, sleeping peacefully. I couldn't tell who it was.

I wiped my tears one last time and sat on the edge before laying down and covering up. It felt awkward to be in the bed with two other people. I hadn't slept with another person in a long time, so it took a few minutes to adjust myself to the unavoidable feet next to mine. I kept my back to my bedmates, and stared over the edge.

I tried to find comfort by tucking my hand underneath the unsupportive pillow. The familiar position helped somewhat and after a few minutes, I knew I was alone again. Rosalie's soft breaths told me that she had already drifted temporarily away from this world. I so badly wanted to follow her. She made it seem so easy to ignore the shadows in the corners. My mind wasn't ready to give over to the darkness just beyond reach, but I could feel my body slowly slipping.

But all I could think about was how unreal and false this situation was. For a moment when I had woken earlier, I thought that perhaps I was dreaming, that everything I had experienced was an illusion because things like this just don't exist.

Vampires were no more real than an abominable snowman or the Loch Ness Monster. They were mere speculation by people who believed in fairies or magic – people that were trying to convince others that there was more mystery in this world than we have yet to sort out.

If they had asked me a few months ago, if they had asked me if I believed in the supernatural, that by chance vampires exist, I would have said no. But now after seeing it, and feeling it – feeling the teeth of this creature penetrate my skin, and the burn in my arm from its kiss, I can say I believe in unseen worlds of unimaginative lore and horror. I believe there are some things which can't be explained. I believe in vampires.

* * *

_The title of this chapter has to do with quirky animal friends that seem to be in a lot of fables. Every chapter, if you haven't noticed, relates to fairy tales._


	9. A Curse Most Retched

**IX  
****_A Curse Most Retched_**

|. . . : . . .|

When was the last time I had ever _really_ thought about how lucky I was prior to this? I couldn't even recall. The past few days lingered on this thought.

Mostly, I wondered how my dad was, or what my mom was doing that very minute, even though I didn't exactly care for her. Even if she was a shitty mom she was _my_ shitty mom. I don't think I could crucify her anymore for her mistakes, not when I had made my own.

Pot meet kettle kinda thing, I suppose.

I also couldn't help but think about Jessica and Angela and how unaware they were of the entire situation. Whatever Jake had planned, I hoped they didn't fall for it, but then again, I had. For one second I had forgotten who I was, and who he was. I had forgotten the things he had done and saw him as innocent when I knew better.

That was what killed me. That was what sent my hands into my hair in frustration and made me pull at my scalp until I wanted to cry.

_I knew better._

For that moment I was a stupid girl, and he was a vampire who had gotten his way.

I would never be that girl again.

I would never be so gullible, and I could no longer afford to be foolish.

Foolishness. After the incident in _his_ room, I didn't overstep my boundaries for obvious reasons. It was pointless to fight them so the days following I did what I was told, which was basic, non-harmful things. No one seemed interested in me, which worked to my advantage, and no one had tried to bite me since _he_ did.

I cringed at the memory still fresh in my mind.

I hadn't seen him since that night, and I could only hope our paths didn't cross again soon.

I pulled the sheets over my shoulders and laid still, listening to the sound of everyone around me. Everything I did was amplified; every breath, every shift under the covers. I heard footsteps against the floor and bumps against the wall even though there wasn't anything there to make them. Eventually, I told myself it was the walls settling, but I could never be sure.

No matter what position I was in, or how much I wanted it, I couldn't sleep as long as my roommates could. I woke constantly, feeling as though someone was next to my bed watching me. Of course when I looked no one was ever there.

It was why I was awake. The same eeriness I had felt in Edward's bed that first night poked at me through the darkness. But as soon as I opened my eyes it disappeared.

Discomfort wore me to the bone and throbbed at my wrist.

I sighed, pushing the sheet and heavy blanket off me. It was below comfortable in the room, the temperature always slightly chilly. Almost instantly my skin responded with goose bumps as I rose from bed and made for the half-bathroom.

I shut the door behind me so my activity and the running water wouldn't disturb anyone else.

I splashed luke-warm water on my face repeatedly, wishing it was hotter. I used the bathroom then went back to the sink to allow cold water to wash over my wrist where I'd been bitten. Thankfully, the swelling had subsided, and the pain wasn't quite as bad. As long as I kept cool water on it the sting was less intense. It didn't stop the constant throbbing but it was, at least, tolerable.

I left the light on in the bathroom and the door cracked. I followed the sliver of illumination on the floor back to my bed and crawled in, pulling the covers up to my shoulders once again.

As soon as my feet touched hers by accident, Rosalie scooted closer to me and intertwined her legs with mine. A knee wedged between my thighs.

God.

I nudged her away from me and rolled over to put my back to her.

I liked Rosalie, probably more than anybody else in this room, but I hated sleeping with her. She was so touchy-feely when she slept and I wanted nothing to do with it.

It was too weird, too intimate even though it was not the intent.

I kept my eye on the light from the bathroom, watching it until I faded.

**=x=**

My eyes were so heavy, but the noise was too strong to ignore.

I opened my eyes slightly, adjusting to the light from the lamps. Shadows and figures passed through the room, female voices talking, chattering about things I didn't know. I rolled over, hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep before breakfast.

I heard the sound of the locks turning over. Panic caused me to erupt from the bed and stand with the rest of the girls. I ignored their stares which stopped as soon as the door swung open.

There he was. Jasper.

"Let's go," he said.

I never wanted to admit it, but I favored him over any of them. I preferred to have him around me, even though he was just as cruel. But he offered me a gift that I couldn't refuse.

His power wouldn't take my thoughts away from me, but the intense feeling that shook me when I refused to let go and simply exist with the rest of the women was drawn from me when he was around. I was happy to be rid of the stress for five minutes.

His mood hadn't been tainted the past few mornings and I relished in it. I wanted to feel happy. I missed it so much. I missed smiling and laughing, and even though I didn't do any of those things, his emotions were calm and welcoming. They didn't feel forced or imitated like they did the first time he used them on me.

The overwhelming sense of relief buzzed in my chest as I stepped out of the room behind everyone else. Jasper eyed me, his face lightened and he walked briskly to the front of my group.

I began to understand him more and more as days passed. I began to understand how he functioned, and how his gift worked. It worked both ways, his skill. Not only could he give an emotion, but he could also pick up on them, too. Sometimes if they were strong enough he could re-pass them as his own. I couldn't deny that I was fascinated by him and how he came about to have this power.

After our breakfast which consisted of dry toast, eggs, and grapes, we went back to the room where we stayed for a long time. I wasn't sure how I was going to do this. How could I spend my time in here everyday for this long? I wasn't used to being "caged". I was an active person. I like the outdoors most days and loved the fresh air.

In the room, the air was stagnant, old, and began to smell like body odor. I hadn't had a shower in days. I was repulsed at the fact.

My mind was already turning over from these walls. A human being wasn't meant to be kept like this. I understood the need for hypnosis and a part of me wished I could be hypnotized. A very, very small part.

I didn't know whether to scream or babble like an insane idiot, but either option was mind-numbing.

And while I felt trapped, I was indifferent about this room.

On one hand, while I was in here it meant that _they_ weren't. The closest they ever came was the door frame, and that was only to escort us out or put us in. On the other hand, it was too crowded.

I started to live in my thoughts.

How was it that I ended up here? How did they choose who they were going to bring? Why me?

Jacob had a lot to do with it. I had a feeling that whatever talent he possessed was damn-near important to what had happened. Was my moving into the apartment next to him a coincidence, or was it planned? He had said there were no coincidences, but how far back did that go? Who did the plan start with? Was there even a plan at all?

I wanted the truth, even if it came from my own mind as an assumption. I tried to remember who I had talked to about the apartment I moved into. I tried to recall anything about them, but there was nothing, as if they had never existed in the first place.

Perhaps Jacob was wrong about coincidences. Maybe they did exist. Everything before now told me they did. Maybe this was just one big mistake – a glitch in the universe. The monsters were a mistake. Their mistake led to mine, and now that I was caught up in it how was I going to fix it?

I sighed into the pillow, feeling overwhelmed and empty. My sigh it didn't go unnoticed. Rosalie sat beside me and rubbed my back like she had a few nights ago. I had been turned away from the other girls for a significant amount of time, hoping they would think I was sleeping so I wouldn't have to participate in their conversations. I had nothing to add.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Did she really not understand? They couldn't be _this_ oblivious. I softly shook my head against the pillow.

She climbed over my legs and shifted her body to lie next to me. She curled her hands underneath her and stared. I moved away slightly, adjusting to her proximity.

She stared at me for a moment, not saying anything. I imagined that if I had met her outside of this place then her hair would be really shiny, not dull and lifeless like it was now. However, she was still beautiful. She seemed more alive than anyone here. Even her eyes were brighter, deeper.

"You know you can always talk to me about it and I'll listen," she said.

I'm sure I smiled. "Thanks." I paused to gather the words which had been swirling in my head since I woke that morning, not that I expected her to understand what I was talking about. "It's just, what does someone do when they realize that they've come to the end of their life?"

"There isn't much you can do. Sometimes the end is the end."

"What if you're supposed to fight?"

"I think if you realize you're going to die, then there's no point.."

I closed my eyes on her words. Perhaps there was a reason why she appeared more _awake_ than the other women. "You know what's going on here, don't you?"

"Yes. We're saving people."

I lifted myself onto one elbow in disbelief. "What?"

"It's better us than them."

I furrowed my brow and shook my head. "No, Rosalie. How do you think we're saving people? You know what these things are, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"You know that we're going to die in here, right?"

"Yes." She nodded, carefully. "But not for a while."

"How are you okay with this?"

"I've accepted it. It's how things are in their world… in our world."

Our conversation ended at the sound of locks turning over. The door swung open and Jasper appeared in the doorway.

Instantly, his eyes were on mine, as if he knew where I was in the room. "Aro would like an audience."

Alice ran to the door, nearly skipping, as if excited to see him. When I approached she was whispering something to him, too faint for me to hear. My body felt lighter, open, more calm yet on the verge of exploding, as though I would combust from joy at any moment.

"No," Jasper said. "I'm busy today."

"Then when?" she asked. Her hand reached for him.

He pushed it back to her side. The action was gentle and smooth. He whispered back, "I don't know."

"I miss you." Her voice was so delicate, almost child-like.

I stood behind her, waiting for her to move, or for them to finish their conversation. When Jasper saw me standing there he pulled me out and pushed Alice back in. I could feel Alice's affection pulse through him, like the beating of a heart as he closed the door behind me.

As we walked down the hall, I felt odd, almost confused, as if two sides of my brain would part ways and leave one another. I stared at the back of Jasper's head as we made our way to see Aro, trying to determine what was mine and what wasn't.

He turned at one point and caught me staring. "What are you doing?"

I quickly adjusted my eyes and fixated on the floor.

"Whatever you're thinking, put it out of your head," he said.

"I wasn't thinking anything."

"You were about to. I can feel it in my chest."

"It must be so hard for you, to be around Alice," I said blankly. I wasn't trying to be a smart ass, it was an observation, but more than likely a dumb one to say aloud.

"No," he said. "Why would it be hard?"

"Because she likes you… a lot. Her emotions must be… strong."

He straightened his back a little. "They're illusions. What she's feeling exists in her head. It doesn't affect me."

I was confused once again, and whispered to myself, trying to sort it out. "Then why do I feel it?"

He glanced back, eying me over his shoulder suspiciously.

It took me a moment to put the equation together, but the solution became very clear. "Oh," I whispered in realization. It wasn't Alice's emotions that were being filtered through Jasper, it was only his.

How was this thing capable of feeling love or adoration towards anything? He was cruel and cold, unjustly so. I didn't understand.

Once downstairs, Jasper turned to me. "Don't make him mad," he said with a sneer, and we walked through the door we had stopped in front of.

The room was rich in red and gold, it almost seemed kingly. Aro sat in an over-sized chair with two other people sitting next to him. He was talking to one of them, too caught up in the conversation to realize we were there, or not acknowledging it. His hand was placed gently on the other man's as he spoke with him.

The loud bang from the closing door made me cringe. He turned to us. "Ah, Jasper, your timing is impeccable." Aro rose from his seat and came to us quickly. His pace was frightening. "Miss Swan," he said grabbing my hand, and putting his forehead to it. His red eyes met mine. "That's to be expected."

He smiled and placed his cold, disgusting lips on my knuckle then inhaled. "What fragrance!"

I pulled my hand away and hid it behind my back which only made him chuckle.

He turned and headed back for his chair. Jasper nudged me forward. I could only assume he wanted me to follow him, so I did.

"I just spent a great deal of time talking with Edward about you. Apparently, you have a great deal of attitude that needs to be re-directed. I'm assured, however, that you're well worth the effort."

_Edward_.

My entire body tensed at his name, and it was then that I realized he was one of the men sitting next to him. "I'm sorry that I'm not so willing to go along with this as the others are," I retorted.

"I understand completely, but still you can imagine my frustration."

I sighed, almost not believing what I was about to say. "If I'm such a bother then why haven't you killed me?"

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"It's going to happen anyways," I said with a shrug. "Why not go ahead and get it over with, especially since I'm such a burden on you?"

Aro chuckled, but Edward did not. He continued to sit straight and tall in the chair with one leg crossed over the other, resting his fingers on his lips. He would occasionally bare his teeth and bite down on his index finger. That was slightly frightening. He looked restrained.

"A farmer wouldn't kill a potential prize-winning cow because the cow behaves slightly different than the others, would he?"

"I don't know. I know nothing about farming, or prize-winning cows," I said.

His low laugh resonated off the walls. "You will, Miss Swan. I have a feeling that you will. But until then, you will serve some use to me. Tell me about your stay here so far."

"What?" I said with a confused chuckle.

"I'm always curious as to what we could improve on. I know you will have some opinions on that," he said.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "What is this, a hotel? Are you the concierge?" I shook my head. "You can let us all go, that's what you can improve on."

He clapped his hands together. "That's it! You've persuaded me! I'm going to allow everything I've worked so hard for just waltz right out the front door. I'll even send you off with a fruit basket for your troubles. 'Let us all go'? That statement is absurd." He paused, keeping his gaze fixated on me the entire time. I felt smaller. "Let me explain something to you, Miss Swan. You're safer in here with me and my monsters than you are out there with yours."

"I was never abducted until a few days ago, and that was because of you," I said. "No one drank my blood when I was out there, either." My eyes drifted to Edward unwillingly, but how could I not look at him?

"These things are only a matter of time. Just because it hadn't happened yet, doesn't mean it wouldn't have. There are still mysteries in this world which go unexplained, I think you'll come to learn. We're not the only ones." He paused then said with a lighter tone, "Now, tell me… what can be improved on?"

I took in a deep breath of air. I could give him some opinions. "Underwear. I want underwear."

"Too much hassle. Not enough detergent."

"Fragrant shampoo and body wash."

"The chemicals have a _substantial_ effect on how the skin tastes."

"More time out of the room. I'm getting cabin fever or something."

"How do your roommates feel about having more time out of the room?" Aro asked.

"I don't think they notice."

"Then no."

"The food is disgusting," I said with a heavy, disappointed sigh.

"That is something you can fix yourself when you're on kitchen duty," Aro said with a smile.

I was excited about the prospect of 'kitchen duty'. At least it would get me out of the room for a while.

"That's enough for today, but tonight you will join us for dinner."

Before I left, I stole another peek at Edward still in the same position he had been in the entire time. He was still staring at me and the familiar uneasiness erupted in my stomach. I hated him, and I feared the next time we would have to be in the same vicinity.

When I got back to the room, something was off. Someone was missing. After a few moments, I knew who wasn't there.

"Where's Jane?" I asked.

"They took her out of here. She's probably going to be extracted. She'll be back later," Leah said.

"Extracted," I repeated softly as I took my place on my bed once again.

I remembered the word when it came up in conversation yesterday. I remembered Alice telling me what they did and what it was for. Everyone had shared their experience, except for Victoria, who only repeated the same thing over and over, something about the devil.

Mostly, the stories had been pleasant to the ones who had experienced them.

As far as I was concerned, anything involving needles wouldn't be pleasant, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have an experience to share.

Time passed by painfully until it was time for dinner. I dressed in the same black dress I had wore the first night but dug around in the crowded closet for less agonizing shoes. I found a low-heel that would work just fine.

When I found out who I was going to be sitting next to, I wanted to crawl into a corner and die.

Edward sat before I did and folded his hands in his lap. I leaned away from him as much as possible, scooting to the very edge of my chair. The girl next to me didn't even acknowledge I was in her elbow space. Even if she did she could get over it. I didn't want to be anywhere near him. I rubbed my thumb over my wrist.

I couldn't help but look over at him as dinner progressed. I ate quietly, wondering if they would drink at the table again. I worried about that. The constant question of whether or not I would feel that sting tonight almost made me not want to finish eating even though I was hungry.

When Aro raised his hand softly to gesture something to everyone, it happened. Idle hands were lifted from the table and were brought to the lips of the monsters.

In that moment I disappeared. I tried to find a place in my mind that would serve as a temporary harbor so I could escape. I closed my eyes to reinforce anything I could think of. I placed my fork down and placed my hands in my lap, tucking them between my knees and squeezed tight.

I waited for Edward to disrupt this shell I had created for myself, but it never came. I peeked over at him. He was sitting still, looking straight ahead. I wasn't going to argue what he was doing. I was relieved he hadn't reached for me yet. Maybe he wasn't hungry, but I couldn't be certain of my assumptions.

Dinner was over quickly afterwards. Soon everyone had departed except for Edward and me. He sat there for a few minutes, staring into the shadows, the candlelight bouncing off his eyes which seemed darker than usual; more maroon than a bright, bloody red.

I swallowed before speaking. "Can I go back to my room now?"

He blinked as though coming out of a trance.

"No, you may not." He tilted his chin towards me, but didn't look in my direction. "Come on," he said, and rose from his chair.

I followed behind him without any other prompt until we arrived in his room.

He closed and locked the door behind us.

I could only observe as he walked to his window. He seemed solemn, and I was glad he felt like that. He deserved every misery given to him.

I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting for something to be said. My feet were feeling the stress of the shoes. I cleared my throat. "Do you mind if I sit down, or take my shoes off?"

He looked at me blankly then back to the window. "I don't care."

I nodded and slipped the shoes from my feet then placed them by the door so they wouldn't be in the middle of the room.

I wanted to sit, but was unsure of where. In truth, I wanted to lie down and go to sleep. The early morning hours were catching up to me and his large bed looked comfortable. If it weren't for the memories it would've been inviting. I would never go near that bed again.

"Do you like history?" he asked.

"Sometimes," I responded, curious to where he was going with this question.

"I can still recall parts of my human life. It would seem like ancient history to you."

He stepped away from the window and shrugged the black dress coat from his shoulders, tucking it away into a dark, wide, wooden armoire. He loosened his tie and slipped it from his neck, also hanging it up.

"I don't think I understand," I suggested.

"The beauty of what I'm about to tell you is you don't need to understand."

He opened a drawer and pulled out a metal item with three prongs sticking up from a thick base.

"Have you ever seen one of these?" he asked as he held out his palm to show it to me.

I studied the little item. It didn't look like anything I had ever seen. It only seemed familiar.

"It looks like an old nut cracker," I offered.

He smiled gently. "This was around whenever I was a boy. And yes, the cracking part is right."

My stomach flipped violently at his words. I felt uneasy and out of place.

I backed away a little.

"I really don't understand," I nearly whispered.

"Like I said, the beauty of this little item is that you don't need to understand, but if you wish for me to enlighten you, allow me to show you." He reached for my hand and pulled me to him.

"Don't fight," he warned as I was about to pull away. His stare was intimidating, frightening, and reminded me of the anger I had seen in his eyes when I pushed myself against his will.

The thick base parted and he slipped my four fingers between them. He pushed the little bar down, and twisted the screw to the base. The cold, unforgiving metal squeezed my fingers like a vice.

"What are you doing?" I asked quickly, near panic.

"Ever heard of thumbscrew torture?" he asked.

"Torture." I said aloud. The word echoed in my head. "Torture?" I asked, completely panicked. I tried to pull away but he kept me in place.

"Sh. Sh. Sh. I'm not finished," he said. "This little device"—he tapped it—"is called a thumbscrew. It's meant to slowly inflict pain by crushing anything between these two bars. As you can imagine, fingers were a great choice because the bones are so delicate. All it takes is a little twist of this screw, et voilá tout!"

"Why are you doing this?" I cried.

"To break that wall you have up here." He touched my forehead. "Panic, pain, stress… anything could cause you to crack, so you take down your defenses. Usually I would apply each one separately, but why waste the time when I can apply them all at once?"

"Please, don't! Please! Don't!" I shook violently as I pleaded with him, begged him not to do this. "How will I do any chores? I won't be any use to anyone!"

I would say anything to get him to let go of me!

He reached for the screw and began to twist slowly. The clamps squeezed my fingers harshly. "No! Please, don't! I'll do whatever you want me to do! God, don't!"

"I don't see a god in here," he said.

He twisted the screw down a little more.

The pain that I would feel would be excruciating, I knew this. I didn't want to feel this pain! I didn't want this! I couldn't do anything else but beg out of fear, panic, the pain I would feel.

He twisted it down a little more.

Something was on the verge of giving under the pressure! I screamed.

He cupped a hand over my mouth, restricting the sound from escaping, but that didn't keep me from making it. It was muffled in his cold flesh.

"How am I suppose to hear your thoughts if you're screaming? You'll drown them out!"

I bit down on a fleshy part of his palm. He didn't wince.

"Still have some fight in you? Bite it again and see what happens." His smile was intimidating, amused.

I didn't bite him again and he removed his hand from my mouth. My teeth ground together and I exhaled sharply, trying to breathe through the situation.

The pressure and agony caused my knees to go weak as the clamps squeezed together even more.

Then relief. Air. Space.

I could breathe.

I no longer felt the cold metal on my fingers.

The device was no where near me.

I held my fingers tightly with my uninjured hand. He hadn't broken anything.

They were sore, but un-broken.

Edward was sticking the thumbscrew back into the drawer he had pulled it out of. As quickly as it started, it had ended.

He turned to me. "Like you said, how would you get your chores done?"

I let out a staggered breath as another tear fell onto my cheek. "You… " I couldn't form a coherent sentence.

He went to press the red button on the wall and asked someone to take me away. He didn't utter another word to me. He simply made for his piano and sat on the bench. He feathered the keys lightly as I stood next to the door and waited to be delivered from the psycho I was forced to deal with under circumstance.

When I arrived back at my room it was quiet and slightly dark. I was glad everyone was asleep so I wouldn't have to talk about my night, or undress in front of anyone – that was still hard to get used to.

I changed out of the dress, hung it up, and placed the shoes back in the closet.

I brushed my teeth then washed my face in the luke warm water to help me fall asleep easier. I left the bathroom light on and followed the small illumination to the bed.

I slipped underneath the blankets, paying close mind to my fingers. It was then that I noticed Rosalie had the entire bed to herself before I crawled in. The other side of her was empty.

Jane had never come back that night.

* * *

_**et voilá tout**_** is French, meaning, "that is all".**


	10. An Ill fated Princess

Wow! It's been a while and I'm extremely sorry for the wait. It's been two years! And because of the time, I'm providing you a summary up til now. I have re-edited the previous chapters for an easier read, if you care to look back over them at some point. HUGE, MAD PROPS to LivieLive79! Without her, this wouldn't be possible right now. She has been a huge inspiration to me and I'm so thankful she has donated her time to help move this thing right along.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS UP TIL NOW:

_Bella is a architect student who is kidnapped by her neighbor, Jacob and taken to a house inhabited by a coven of vampires. She's not the only one taken away from her family and friends. Many other girls, prisoners, reside there, too. Bella, however, has an advantage. While the other women are under the vampires' hallucinations, she is able to resist their power. Having this gift doesn't come without a price. She's put under the watch of Edward, the cruel, mind-reading right-hand man of crazy Aro, and he's charged with breaking her mental barrier so she can join the blood bank._

If you have any questions, guys, please let me know. I'll try to answer them when I have a free moment. I do hope you enjoy. Feel free to yell at me for taking so long. haha

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**X**

**An Ill-fated Princess**

Awake.

Always awake. Always still. Always alert in the darkness.

Too dark, in fact. It was always too dark. I hated it, not being able to see my hand in front of my face if I wished. In fact, it aggravated me.

I pushed the sheets back, sat up and touched the cool floor with the tips my toes. I allowed them to linger for a moment, wondering if an icy hand would close around my ankle from under the bed. It wasn't the first time this thought slipped into my head, and it wouldn't be the last.

My fingers curled into the mattress as I prepared my terrifying lunge into the open room, away from the safety of the bed and Rosalie's company, away from the warmth which protected me from the vicious chill always seeping into my bones.

I stood, leaving my comfort and took a step into the expanse. Even through the dark, it felt as though there were eyes upon me, noting my every movement. This feeling made me want to turn back and forget about the light, but having to live with the thought that something could be waiting for me in the corners of that room pushed me forward and I didn't stop until I reached the bathroom door.

Safely inside, I popped the light on and locked myself in. Sanctuary. I was safe here. I allowed cool water to run over my hand and wrist from the tarnished, silver-plated faucet, while unwelcome thoughts of Edward skirted the edge of my mind. I turned the antique knobs and waited, hoping for hot water only to receive the disappointing rush of luke-warm. I splashed my face, focusing on my closed eyes and prayed — if God could hear prayers in a place like this — it would soothe my tired lids, and help coax them to close once I was back in bed.

If only it helped my mind as well.

I swallowed several gulps of water, amused that Edward was powerless to stop me this time. I tightened the sink knobs, unlocked the door and stepped back into the room. The light from the bathroom left a perfect trail on the floor. I followed it as if it were a balance beam all the way to the edge of the queen bed then jumped under the array of white blankets and sheets, pulling them to my neck. Next to me, Rosalie slept quietly, taking up an actual side since Jane was still gone. We hadn't seen her in two days. Was it normal for a blood extraction to take so long, or had something else happened to her? I didn't want to think about that, but it rooted and began to grow.

The longer I stared at the back of Rosalie's head, the more the idea became unbearable. Jane was too young, too small to defend herself, but she wouldn't have thought to. She was under their hypnosis. She would've gone along with anything. Controlled. Submissive. Manageable. That's how they liked these women — and if they had their way, I'd be just like them. A shiver followed my spine, and I jerked in reaction. Every feeling, every curious, morbid thought made me think of him. Maybe he was there, in my head, ruining my safe haven. I began to think Edward's efforts weren't in vain, and maybe these urges and paranoid thoughts were the beginning of his techniques taking effect, like I began to pick up on the frequency these girls were tuned in to. Normal to frightened to paranoid. What was the next step? Acceptance?

Sometimes I wished I could've been like the others, so I wouldn't have to feel the tightness in my chest from the anxiety. I'd only have to wait; the way Alice waited for Jasper, Leah waited to give blood, or Rosalie waited for death. Hell, even death began to sound like a symphony of wonder and escape that I could, for that moment, only dream of. But, I wasn't like them.

Maybe Dad wasn't kidding when he said I was dropped on my head too many times when I was a baby. Whatever it was from, I was thankful. For the time being, I was still me.

. . . | . . .

_Bella. Bella, wake up_.

Mumbled words. Who was talking? Bed-side lamps were on. Bodies fluttered around the room. "No. I can't," I heard myself say, but couldn't recall opening my mouth. My eyes were too heavy. They burned. I began to drift away.

"Out of bed, sleepyhead." Someone prodded me in the shoulder. "Shower time."

Shower? My lids cracked, and through the haze I saw Alice's face inches from mine.

"There you are! Come on and get up! It's shower day!" The blankets were tugged to my feet. I wanted to kick them back up to my hands, but didn't have the strength or coordination at that moment to do so.

I surrendered and sat up. "How long before…"

"Before they come get us? I don't know _exactly_, but it's usually early. We're one of the first rooms to go; I know that much."

I nodded.

She twisted her thin legs from under her and stood, stepping to the wooden chest on Rosalie's side of the bed. She opened the middle drawer and pulled out a white, folded linen. "Here." She was on the bed again. "You'll need one of these. When we go into the bathroom, put your dirty one in the hamper next to the door."

I took the white gown from her extended hand, staring at it. The material was softer than the one I had on, and it smelled incredibly fresh. The scent of clean laundry put me at a sort-of ease. It'd been washed many times, and I wondered how many women had worn it. My eyes met hers again. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Her dainty, pink lips pulled into a grin and she curled her legs back under her like she always seemed to do. _Don't her legs go to sleep like that?_ Was that comfortable for her? Was it something she always did, a mannerism deeply-rooted into her brain, or was it part of a suggestion?

No. During the time spent with them, in this room – however little – none of the other girls pulled into that position when first sitting down. They might have bent a knee so their foot rested under them, but only Alice folded both knees and sat upright in such a comely-looking position while she folded her hands on her lap.

My posture was never straight. My legs were always outstretched in front of me like I'd just fallen on my ass and usually I leaned back on my palms. I wasn't graceful or elegant, and being next to Alice only reverberated that thought.

. . . | . . .

I didn't have as much trouble showering as I did the first time. Victoria had trouble undressing, though, and even began to shake. Jasper eventually had to assist her. I don't even think she washed, just stood and allowed the stream to beat on her for a few minutes before slinking under the protection of a towel.

I felt so incredibly gross I didn't care who saw me. I wanted to be clean. I would never get used to feeling as though I had an extra layer of skin waiting to be washed away. I would never not notice the way my hair felt greasy and clumpy after days without washing it. While in the room, I had resorted to washing off my arms, neck and face from the sink water in attempts to revive myself from the slump I'd been thrown into.

I washed quickly, yet thoroughly, dried and slipped into my fresh gown. I wrapped my hair in the towel and sat it on my head, not wanting to drench my fresh clothes.  
On the opposite side of the room, Jasper sat motionless with his hands folded in his lap, and his eyes fixated on his obsession: Alice.  
I lowered into a chair a few feet away from him, and it was then I realized I'd been watching him watch her for some time. His fascination intrigued me. I turned my attention to the tile floor and searched for patterns among the colors.

I didn't have to wait long for the rest of my roommates to finish. They were dry and dressed in no time. While we were hauled us off to the kitchen, Victoria was taken away by a nameless face, arguing and speaking loudly about 'the Lord'. I worried for her and hoped she wouldn't become another disappearing act, though I still held small hope for Jane.

There were no recipes or meal plans when we arrived, just a large, open pantry; black refrigerator; an old, gas stove; a dirty, double sink with plenty of counter space stretched out on either side. An odd square cluster of large, gray bricks above the sink and door on the opposite side of the room broke the never-ending white wash.

No knives or utensils other than wooden spoons in a red canister next to the stove were in sight. No wonder the food sucked so bad. Not on my watch. I wanted a real breakfast, not a question of what I was eating. Oatmeal and toast had always been a favorite of mine. Mom used to stick out her tongue and call it 'gruel'. She questioned my taste in food. I questioned her taste in everything.

While I worked to prepare with the other women, I wondered if I would make a difference with my choice of breakfast. Would they notice the improved quality? Either way, they ate, and although it wasn't my first time seeing the other inhabitants of the house, it was the first time I truly looked at their faces while they walked by with their plates. No glimmer of life shimmered in their eyes. Some had bandages on their arms and wrists, others on their necks. My fingertips touched my throat. I couldn't fathom being bitten there. The pain would be immense, I imagined.

We served them their breakfast that morning, their lunch that afternoon and dinner later on. Jasper administered vitamins that night – a white powder which dissolved in water. I'd wondered why it always tasted chalky at dinner.

While we were cleaning, the kitchen door swung open, and I was almost glad to see Victoria on the other side, but my feelings changed when I got a good look at her.

_Her face. Her hair._

Earlier, her red curls framed her pale face. I'd always thought of her as doll-like, but it was a trait I no longer saw. Someone had cut it off, leaving only an inch of erratic curls on top of her head. Her expression was blank, her eyes red and swollen.

"I have someone for you," the vampire holding onto her arm said.

"How did it go?" Jasper asked, pushing away from the wall he was leaning against.

"See for yourself." He threw Victoria into the room. I thought she might fall, but she steadied herself. He elbowed Jasper in the arm. "Watch this. Goddamn!" He shouted at the back of her head, taunting her, and it made me cringe.

Victoria wouldn't stand for that language. She would turn around, point a finger and scream, but not this time. She continued to shuffle toward us, unaware that someone had taken the Lord's name in vain. Unaware of anything, except the space around her.

Victoria was no longer there.

"He finally broke her," Rosalie whispered beside me, holding a stack of dirty plates.

"He?" I asked, watching Jasper and the unfamiliar face carry on their quiet conversation while studying Victoria.

"Edward. He's been trying to break into Vicky's head ever since she arrived. I didn't think it would happen, but just goes to show you, even the toughest spirit won't last long here."

Rosalie inherited my complete attention. She didn't speak like the others, didn't act like them. Why didn't I see it before? She wasn't under hypnosis. My lips parted. I wanted to ask her if I was correct, then, but Jasper interrupted us.

"Get back to work. I don't have all night," he said while giving Victoria a broom. The other vampire was gone, leaving a swinging kitchen door in his wake.  
Rosalie set the dishes she'd been holding next to the sink.

Jasper leaned against the wall once more, eying me as though I did something wrong. "What?" I remarked. He only grinned in response and propped a foot onto the large, white bricks behind him, then turned his attention across the room once more.

No doubt he was watching Alice, like he'd been doing all day. I turned to look at her, but only found Victoria. He was watching her with that smug grin on his face. She pushed the broom across the floor, the fire she once held - her independence, ideas, faith in God – lost, as though she never had them in the first place. I never thought she'd be broken. Her mind seemed strong, her connection and love for her religion seamed her to reality. Maybe there's no hope in this place after all. I picked up another dish from the sink water and began to scrub.

"You look proud of yourself," I said to Jasper. I didn't know why I said it, but realized a second later I wanted to get under his skin, the same way he got under mine.

"It's a good day when there's one less for me to control." He moved away from the wall, only to lean against the counter beside me, crossing his arms over his torso. He smelled odd, not how I expected. I thought it would be like sweat, copper and leather, but it was similar to cinnamon or cloves. "Believe it or not, she was more of a pain in the ass than you are. I never had to baby-sit until you came along. I was free to do whatever I wanted. No worries about schedules or anything that held no significance."

I rinsed then stacked a plate onto the clean pile then grabbed another from the dirty. "God, you know, I can't imagine what it's like, having your daily routines taken away from you."

"Soon enough, you won't have to worry about what life was like before you came here." He gestured with his chin toward the other women then leaned in closer, overwhelming my nerves with his whisper. "Get a good look at them. They're your fate. Edward will be your undoing, and you'll no longer have use for sarcasm."  
Would he? Would that monster be the death of me? Would he separate me from my mind and catalog me like the others? What would become of me, of my dad and mom? Are they even looking for me? Do they know I'm missing? My pulse quickened and Jasper righted himself.

"You missed a spot," he said, pointing to the plate I had just washed and then stepped away from me.

No. I'd never be like those girls. I couldn't bear the thought of not remembering my life, no matter how painful it was to think about not having it anymore. All I wanted was to be free of these invisible iron bars. _What I wouldn't give to be at my dad's right now, lying in my bed and staring at the ceiling with the circular designs etched into the paint._ I could almost smell the unique odor that greeted me when I walked through his front door. I wanted to smell the inside of his house again. I grew up with that smell, and the thought of it gave me astounding comfort.

What would I give to feel that comfort again, for that warmth to settle into my chest and know I was where I belonged? I'd give anything in the world to go back.  
No. I wouldn't die here. I would escape. I would be free from Aro and his freak show of minions. I'd be free of Edward and his torture. It was easy to think these thoughts, easy to convince myself I would get away, but how?_ How can I do it?_

I had to plan. I had to have information to plan. I'd need freedom for information, and I'd need trust for freedom. I could never be trusted… unless, I played to Aro's good side, and that frightened me. He seemed unpredictable, but what choice did I have? I had to try while I still could, before Edward toppled the last wall of my sanity.

I would fight until my heart stopped beating, and I'd fight using the only thing keeping me alive.


	11. Prince Charming Sucks: Literally

Thank you, Livie79! You've helped me in ways you can't even imagine.

I didn't get to review responses this time around, and for that I'm sorry. Your continuous support and patience astounds me.

(Also, I apologize for any mistakes 'cause there may be a few.)

* * *

**XI**

_Prince Charming Sucks. Literally._

_|. . . : . . .|_

_He moved around the kitchen, searching for something to eat like he did every night an hour after dinner. I watched him from the living room, my eyes peering over the couch with the sound of his favorite t.v. show in my ears along with Mom's relentless snoring on the other end of the couch._

_He came back with an entire bag of cookies, handed me two and kept the rest for himself._

"_Go over it again," he said as he sat back in his recliner, sticking his hand in the wrinkling paper._

"_Again?" I asked, slightly perturbed._

"_Yeah, again. I want to make sure you remember this."  
_

_I didn't feel like eating a cookie. The thought of chocolate chips made me sick to my stomach in that moment. I suppose because he was right all along when I never thought he would be. I set them on the coffee table._

"_Do whatever is asked within reason," I said._

_When I turned my attention back to the flickering fifty-inch television, he motioned with a cookie-filled hand and mouth. "And?"_

_I sighed, my head lolling onto the back cushion. "You were right, dad."_

_His brows raised. "Never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth."_

"_I should've paid better attention. I should've listened when you talked. You were only trying to help. I thought it was dumb."_

"_That's what parents do. One day you'll learn that, and you'll be doing the same for your kid."_

"_I just hope they're never in this position, where I am."_

_His chewing was loud. "If they ever are, they'll be prepared. Just like you. Now, tell me."_

"_Do whatever is asked within reason," I began. "Be observant. Stay positive and remain calm. Don't insult."_

"_Should be an easy one for you," he said._

"_I don't always tell people what I'm thinking."_

_He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He only eyed me over his bag of cookies._

"_Keep track of time. I've already lost that one."_

"_That's not the most important one. Keep going."_

"_Stay physically active. Establish a bond. Ask for small favors after they are established, then discreetly test the bonds."_

"_And finally? The most important."_

"_Make your escape count."_

_He smiled. "That's my girl. There. That wasn't so hard, was it? Eat your__ cookies."_

In the pitch-black, under the sheets, a hot tear slid across my nose and onto the bed. I curled into a tighter ball. _Make it count_. "I will," I whispered into my pillow. I will.

. . . x . . .

The next few days, I did what was asked of me, and did it quietly, remembering what my dad had taught me when I was younger, and then again before I moved to L.A..

_First steps: be quiet and observant. Remain positive._

I threw myself into the chores we were asked to do, turning over this new leaf. I folded towels and stacked them neatly, way better than the other girls. Buckets of white gowns fell down a chute into the decently-sized laundry room. There were three commercial-grade washing machines and an equal number of impressive dryers lined along the sand-colored wall. A long, but narrow window was near the ceiling, allowing in the bright daylight.

Through this thin strip, I could see the white clouds wave past and there would be moments of blue when it didn't seem like a window at all anymore, just a slather of paint imitating the outside world.

I tried not to let my gaze linger on the window since Jasper's keen eyes were never far. He sat in a chair at the door, his ankle propped on his knee with a Los Angeles Times unfolded and crinkled in his lap. He'd turn a page and break the peaceful hum of the dryers.

No arguments. No harsh words. It remained neutral, and honestly it felt good to not argue with him. Under his rough exterior, I imagined Jasper to be a peaceful soul. His empathy wouldn't allow him to become too violent. After all, what was theirs was his; at least, that's how I understood it. He'd threaten, but I couldn't imagine him taking life. Before he left us for the evening, he locked all but Alice in our bedroom prison.

It wasn't the first time it occurred. It happened the other night, too. She didn't appear to have given blood, just chipper: the same way she went out. What did they do while she was out of the room? Sex? Ew.

I lingered on the edge of the bed until it was my turn to use the bathroom, ignoring the other girls' talk of whatever it was they chatted about. No one mentioned Jane anymore, like she was never there to begin with. I couldn't escape the thought of her being dead. It became my conclusion, and it bothered me no one else cared. Would that be me: a long-forgotten memory?

I locked myself in the small room, hoping the cool water on my face would help refresh me.

I washed my arms and neck since showers were few and far between, paying extra attention to my wrist and the bitemark. It didn't really hurt anymore, thankfully. I dressed in a clean gown and went to lay on the bed. I don't know how long I'd been under the sheets, chatter flapping in my ears, but the door unlocked and a male voice said my name.

An unfamiliar face motioned for me and curious, I went to the door. He pulled me out and locked the thick slab behind us. "You've been requested," he said as we started down the hall.

"Not for dinner, I hope."

"No. It just ended. Edward asked you be brought to him."

My heart began to pound. It'd been awhile since I last saw him in his room that night. He almost broke my fingers, and no matter how hard I wanted to repress the memory, it always bubbled to the surface once more, reminding me how careful I had to tread. Every moment with him only deepened the promise of death.

I had to make my escape count, but I wondered how far could I run before being caught. Could I make it to the door, or out of it? Would I see the drive-way, or the glow from the city?

Were all vampires fast, or was speed a special gift? How could I get out of seeing him? My stomach hurt from dinner, maybe? No. That wouldn't matter. Any illness would excite him, add to my torture. It'd been—I hated to say—nice without seeing him, almost tolerable, but any slight edge of comfort was gone then.

We arrived outside his bedroom and the vampire beside me knocked twice. A moment later, Edward opened the door, his blue, unbuttoned shirt exposing his pale skin and fit physique underneath. His face, as always seemed emotionless. His eyes darker than usual. He stepped to the side and I entered, feeling my skin prickle at the sound of the door closing behind me.

Chills crept along my spine when he walked past, his arm brushing against my shoulder. I remained quiet and still, keeping the new mindset.

"Did you think I forgot about you?" he asked as he crossed the room to his large window and pulled the curtains closed.

"I didn't think about you much," I said.

"We both know that's a lie."

I continued to stare at him, my teeth beginning to gnash. "What do you want?"

A smile spread across his face, flexing his eyes. They were burgundy, not blood red as they once were, and I wondered why they changed. What encouraged this transformation? Such a small thing, but just as curious as a life-changing event. _Be observant._

"Sit. I want to talk."

_Don't insult._ "I have nothing to say to you." That wasn't so bad, right?

"We could always use your fingers," he said and took a step toward me.

"No! That's alright, I'll sit." I did, but couldn't remove my eyes from him as I crossed my legs on the floor. His stare became cold, hypnotic and he moved suddenly, grabbing my arm and raising me from my position then throwing me down again.

"On your knees. Chin to your collarbone. Hands behind your back."

"Are you kidding me with this right now?" I adjusted the short robe, but my thighs remained exposed._  
_

My spine curved in chilling agony when his voice was next to my ear, the flicks of soft breath against my skin agitating me. "One more word from you, and this will get ugly very quickly. Put your head and eyes down! Bend forward." A forceful hand on the back of my skull pushed my chin to my collarbone and bent me halfway to my knees. "Hands behind your back. You won't speak unless asked."

The sound of his armoire door caused me to flinch. I wanted to see what he was taking from there. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.

"This is how you should be. Subservient. Respectful. Eyes never on me, but on the floor, where you belong. But this isn't who you are, is it? As much as it pains me to admit, you're not a weak-minded human. Raise that head and you'll receive an unbearable sting across your hands!"

I tried to breathe through it, and held my position, my chin touching my collarbone once more. My only sight was his black dress shoes tapping on the floor as he walked around me. My intakes of breath sharp and loud. I tried to remember what Dad said, what he taught me. _Do whatever is asked within reason._

"That being said, why are you acting like one of them?" he asked. "What are you playing at?"

"What do you mean?"

"Jasper believes you're conforming," his tone almost amused, "but that's not true. I don't believe it's in your nature. You're not conforming. You're not one of them."

"It's called surviving," I said.

"Surviving isn't conforming."

_Breathe through this. _"Conformity is survival. Ever been to high school?"

"No." It was then I saw a thin, black whip dangling close to the floor from his hand. "I don't need inside your mind to know what you're thinking, Bella. We're practically the same. I know you're up to something."

"I'm nothing like you, and I'll _never_ be like you. You don't know anything about me."

"Au contraire. We're both fierce creatures made of silence and fire, imprisoned forever by others who feel they hold more power. You think you hold all the cards and so do I. We've damned each other in this way, wanting to take power for our own."

"I thought you said I have no power."

"Here you don't, but out there... it's a different story. Our control could never meet and agree. They're from two separate worlds just as we are. But herein lies our similarities which bond us."

He trailed off, and by that moment I was so incredibly confused about what he said. I didn't even know what he was talking about anymore, or what I was doing in his room. Was this all he wanted to talk about? How he knew I was up to something? "You lost me sometime during the beginning."

"The point is," he said, his words forceful and angry, "know you'll never succeed. I'm watching you. Understand?"

"Fine. May I get up now?"

"Yes. Wipe off."

The relief from that position was immediate as I rose and brushed the dirt from my fresh gown.

"By the way," Edward said at his armoire, storing away the stringy whip behind his small collection of dark blues, grays and blacks. He wore nothing else, it seemed. "Were you close to your father?"

A word I never wanted to hear him say... he'd said it. Father. _My_ father. I could've fallen through the floor at that moment. I swear I could've.

"What?"

He closed the dark wooden door and faced me once more, a casual feel about his motions as he stuffed his pale hands into his pants pockets. He shrugged. "I'm asking because Jacob Black sent word that your father called your apartment. Several times, in fact. He seemed worried you hadn't answered or returned his calls."

My pulse quickened, but didn't exist at the same time. This monster, this thing, spoke of my dad. It wasn't just about me anymore and this turned my legs and arms to jelly. I didn't answer him.

"Did you speak to him often?"

"That's none of _your _business."

"Everything about you has become my business."

"Leave my family out of this."

"I can't," he said. "He became involved. He would've contacted local police. They would've started asking questions, looking for you. Even though they would've never found you, the potential outcome would've ended in a bloodbath on your behalf. You wouldn't want that, would you? So many lives lost over one foolish girl?"

I couldn't help but notice he used past tense. "When you say _he would've_..."

"I mean, it was much easier to tie a knot at the end of your rope."

The world faded. The hope waiting for me on the outside turned black. The only thing left was that large house with no feeling and empty, soulless rooms. "You... you killed him?"

"Where do you think I've been the past few days? Like I said, he started asking questions. He died quickly, if that makes you feel better. I don't think he felt a thing. Poor man couldn't handle the absence of his daughter, or the relationship with his soon-to-be ex-wife. Must've been lonely and drunk that night he shot himself in the head. "

The shock turned to anger. Anger to rage and all thoughts of how I was supposed to act dissolved. I tore across the room, after Edward screaming, "Why didn't you just kill me?! Why didn't you—"

He restrained my hands, his cool grip anchoring me to that room, making me aware of my actions. I hit him several times across the face and on his chest. Even though he restrained me, I fought against him with my entire body, throwing my weight into him. Though, it did no good.

His laughter contradicted my growls and gasps of air as I tried to hurt him. "There's that spirit! That fight! Yes, struggle! Push against me!"

I screamed in his face, my cheeks flush and head pounding. His pointed teeth were revealed by a delighted smile.

"I'll kill you!" I shouted. "I'll kill you!"

I was on the floor. My thighs ached from the impact, my wrist throbbed from his python-like grip and hot tears slid down my cheeks. He didn't advance, didn't move from where he stood, only watched as I picked myself up. I thought I would fall once more, my own doing that time, but somehow managed to stay on my feet.

"Are you done?" he asked, his chest rising and falling with excited breaths, a mirror of my own.

My eyes fluttered shut, my chin touched my collarbone and I turned from him. I couldn't be in that room anymore. I didn't want to see his face or smile. Was my father really dead, or was Edward bluffing? Was this another one of his tricks? All the same, it killed me; the idea of them finding my family. It wasn't just about me anymore.

It felt like a cool, gentle breeze pushed my hair away from my face, but it was his fingertips on my neck. I turned, preparing to push him away or dig my nails into his face, but his iron hands seized my wrists and twisted them both behind my back. He roped my hair into his other, wringing it around his fingers and palm, pulling my head. A vice. I couldn't move, couldn't fight. My throat became an involuntary invitation.

I could only gasp and watch him inch closer, his dark, red eyes on mine, his lips parted and his hair wild from our skirmish. His grip stole the breath from my lungs and time slowed as I was forced to concentrated on every sensation.

I felt the tip of his nose as it searched my throat; his breath cold and erratic, almost desperate. Then, lips dragged against my skin, and the world stood still. His breathing halted. His mouth parted further. I'd become those girls I pitied with their throats scarred and bruised. I'd become a meal for a monster.

"No! No, please! Please!" I managed to strangle out.

But he ignored my plea.

Knives skirted my neck and I groaned. Pressure. So much pressure!

Thip.

I screamed. My throat! It burned! Acid obliterated everything within me. I breathed deeper, holding onto consciousness, destroying the black which pushed against me, trying to consume. His lips, a severe contrast from the fire he gave, conformed to the curve of my throat. He sucked, each pull gathering more life, taking more away from me.

He rested after the pull, his teeth mooring into my skin as he swallowed loudly. He moaned against me and already I felt this would be my end. I would die in his arms, in this room with him sawing at my neck. The fire moved to my chest. There was light and darkness, sickness and death.

I thought I screamed, but realized my voice was paralyzed. It'd been in my head, and it was there I begged him to stop. I wanted him inside my head, I wanted him to surrender my body.

He didn't. Every gather of life from me, the weaker I became until I was putty, molding against his vice.

He removed his lips and I sank onto a soft surface, struggling for air, but it hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. Everything!

Every flicker of my eyelids became torture, every heartbeat an ache, spreading a poison deeper into my veins. I began to find my voice, a grunt at first then groans until I screamed in agony and squirmed. I hoped a position would bring relief, but nothing helped.

I begged for him to end me, but he was gone. "Edward," I called. No answer. There was only the sounds of my pain filling the room, and the blood swishing through my ears. "Please kill me."

"You're not worth anything to me dead," he said, hovering above me unexpectedly. Spattered blood stained his lips. My blood.

He raised my head and placed a folded towel underneath my neck and shoulders, then moved my hair away from where he bit. I wanted to feel how much of my neck had been eaten away, dissolved by acid. I reached for it, but he intercepted, curling my fingers inward then pushed my arm back to the bed. "Don't touch it," he said, his voice light, nearing a whisper. "You could infect it."

"Wh—what did you..."

"Try not to talk." He leaned in again, and I couldn't fight him. His breath spread like fingers over my skin, his weight distributed between his arms and knees as he hovered.

"Don't," I whispered as he turned my head to the side.

He shushed me, an action I would never associate with him unless it was angry. But he did it without either, then placed his mouth on my neck again. Afraid of increased pain, I tried to move away. Only this time, no teeth or pressure; just the kneading of his lips and tongue as the weight of his body bore onto mine, holding me from escape. A growl in my ear followed a long, slow lick and it caused me to shiver.

_Stop. Please stop._

But he didn't hear me. He never would. For a reason I couldn't see, he'd never relinquish. I would die in this place, in his arms, and I already felt halfway there.

* * *

Werewolf by Cat Power

No real lyrical connection to the chapter. It's just a cool-sounding song.


	12. The Rapunzel Complex

**Livie79 is awesome and so are you. **

**Thank you for the support! I hope you enjoy.**

(I acknowledge errors and will go ahead and apologize for them.)

* * *

**XII**

_**The Rapunzel Complex**_

|. . . : . . .|

"...strangely..."

"How...did...drink?"

"Fifteen...cent."

"I can't imagine...cause...appears normal."

"...healthy?"

"Do...desire her?"

"Nothing like that."

"They all...differently. She shows no signs...EPA...in case."

A rattling sound, then silence.

_A __bee__! __Wake __up__! __Get __away__! _

"There. That should hold it off...until...regain."

A sliver of light punctured through the black. My eyes burned, heavy from sleep. Tall, dark and pale shapes moved in the bright surroundings. Across the room, a door met a frame, dragging me more into consciousness, into the ache. There was softness beneath me, light above and the musty smell I hated.

And, God, the pain!

I heard myself groan. I felt the vibration in my throat. My arms had weights on them. I felt pinned — a caught butterfly on a tray. I looked, but they were weight-free, or had just dissolved into thin air.

There was still the pain!

"Wh—wh..."

"Don't speak."

"What have you... done to me?" I could barely speak. My throat felt raw. My tongue; was it swollen?

I forced my eyes open. Edward was there. I wanted to move away, far away, but my body wouldn't respond. It was too heavy.

"Drank from you," he said. The bed dipped with his weight.

"I can't move."

"Humans react differently to the venom. In your case, an extreme amount of pain and temporary paralysis."

"It still burns." My teeth clenched as the awareness took full effect, and I began to shake. I could almost imagine my bones turning to ash. "God, I'm on fire."

He disappeared behind a door, like he did last night.

And then, it all came back to me. Dad. Edward killed him.

I hit him and he bit me then drank from me on the bed. I don't remember anything after that. How much of my neck remained?

My tears came again. _Dad__. _

Edward stepped through the open door, a curious-yet-familiar sound humming from the room he'd been in. What was he going to do?

"Leave me alone," I said as he sat next to me. I swallowed, hoping to ease the raw burn in my throat. I needed water. "I want to go back to my room."

"I was under the impression you didn't like it in there."

"I'm away from you. God." My eyes closed and I tried to breathe through the burn, praying for its release.

A tug on my gown stirred me, frightened me more than the secretion of flames prickling under my skin. "No!" I tried to scream.

He didn't listen. My short dress continued to ascend my body, dragged by his fingers, the feel of his cool skin turning my stomach.

"What are you doing?! Stop!"

The gown was over my head and on the bed. I prayed my arms to move. I wanted to cover up everything, but I was helpless. It killed me.

"I've seen a hundred women naked. You're nothing special, Bella Swan," he said, looking me in the eyes and they never wandered, not even once. He rose from the bed, folding my gown and placing it on a desk next to the open door. My fingers began to twitch on the comforter. Panicked and hopeful, I tried to grab the top of it between my fingers, hoping I'd be able to roll it over me. My attempt failed.

"I renounced my desire for flesh many years ago while in Rome." He looked at me once more before passing into the next room. A squeak later, the hum stopped.

"Can you walk now?" he asked, heading back to the bed.

I tried to lift my legs, but they, too, were pinned. "No. It hurts." My muscles twisted, like the time I'd worked out for four days straight after not going to the gym for a month. Never again.

He nodded and slid his arms under me, touching my naked side to his body. His cold arms were iron bars again, holding me against my will. My stomach stirred by revulsion.

"No! Stop! What are you doing?! Put me down!" I wanted to fight, wanted to peel the flesh from his bones.

"Not the greatest choice of words when you're five feet over a hardwood floor and you're already in pain."

The ceiling passed overhead, a never-ending sea of white. Oh, God. "I'm going to throw up."

"Don't you dare!" he said, his face curling as if disgusted as we inched through a door frame sideways.

He bent and his arms were no longer there. I braced for impact, for the blunt force of the floor, but received a cold shock instead. A scream, a natural reaction, escaped before I realized what had happened. I was stomach up in a tub of freezing cold water.

"Oh my God! What the—you're an asshole!"

He wiped at the wet spots on the same dark blue shirt he wore last night. "That should take the edge off. Feel free to throw up now." He was gone again, leaving the door open in his wake.

"Fuck you!" I could barely finish that short declaration through the scratchiness.

I was a hot stone thrown into a cold pond, unable to adjust to the new temperature, unable to change. The longer I waded in the shallow water, the stranger the sensation became. Fire and ice consumed me. How was it possible? The two fought viciously as though I were a battlefield, only they weren't killing each other. They were killing me, slowly and without mercy.

After sometime, as if thawed by the water, my legs regained their feeling. The throes of pain through my body subsided, became tolerable, but the pain in my heart remained unmanageable. The music seeping from the bedroom, a sad piano arrangement, didn't help. It only succeeded in making it worse.

Next to the claw tub was a simple black chair holding a white, folded bath towel. I gathered all my strength and pushed myself to stand, eventually climbing out of the bath by means of holding onto the wall. I wasn't cold after leaving the water, which surprised me, but I wrapped the rough material around me and pulled my hair to one side. I had to see my neck. I expected a hole the size of my fist, but when I leaned over the counter to peer into the mirror, there was nothing. In the dim light, I could make out a scar of four dots and a slightly-red stain where he'd attacked.

The music continued and drew me from the bathroom. I was repulsed at the source. Him. The sad, haunting music came from his fingers. He peered over his shoulder, never straying from hitting the keys, but when our eyes met he stopped and he was off the bench and toward me.

"No! You're still wet. Dry your feet off first." He pushed me back into the bathroom and onto the mat next to the tub.

_Don__'__t __insult__. __Be __respectful__._ "You don't have to touch me," I said, moving from under his grip. "Tell me, and I'll do it."

"Dry off, get dressed then wipe up your mess out here. I don't like wet floors."

"Since you asked so nicely," I sneered.

I did what he asked, then sat on the edge of the bed, twirling a strand of hair around my finger and listened to him play while he seemed to ignore my presence. I missed music. I missed my iPod. Dad bought it for me senior year, and surprisingly enough read the directions so he could show me how to use it.

The music reminded me of him.

I watched Edward's expression fluxuate with each move. His eyes would squint during a run like he was concentrating really hard. They would close when he pressed a combination of low notes and open again when rejoined by the high. If I ripped his eyes out, would he still be able to play?

"Did you... really kill my dad?" Or was it another one of his so-called techniques, a mind game?

His smile was slight. "I'm surprised you have to ask."

_Be __observant__. _"You could've killed me. Saved yourself the trouble of going to Forks."

"We've been over this. Last night, remember? You're worth nothing to me dead, but alive? That's another story. I won't kill you, Bella, regardless of how many times you beg me to. Not to mention, I needed a vacation."

"But you'll torture me."

"Torture isn't death." His fingers moved so quickly over the keys it almost helped me forget the tragedy for a moment. Almost. My thoughts always went back to my dad and what he might've said or done to Edward when he saw him. Ordered him out of his house or away from his door because he was a solicitor's worst nightmare. Did he try to shoot him when Edward attacked?

"Did you drink from him?" I don't know why I asked. The thought was too sudden to catch it seemed.

His jaw dropped as he smiled, giving me an adequate view at his profile of sharp teeth as he laughed at the ceiling. Still, his music remained unbroken. "Men aren't my type. They're too bitter, too dry. They smell of rot and old meat."

"And women?"

His red eyes glanced at me before falling down again, his expression losing humor. "The same... as of late."

Still, he played, and we both remained quiet until he quit abruptly a few moments later. It tore me from the moment. How could a creature, a monster, so horrible create something so beautiful?

"_Yes__, __sir__?"_

I turned toward the voice across the room and realized Edward had pressed the call button on the wall.

"Send someone to escort the girl," he said then released the button. It was silent for a few moments as we stood there, separated by empty space in that large room. He directed at me, this time, "You can walk now?"

I nodded.

"How do you feel otherwise?"

I folded my arms against my torso. The room, always slightly chilly, was getting to me, and it was then I kinda wished I could hear the music once more to forget all that happened last night. "I feel... "

I didn't know how I felt. My muscles still contracted and my neck remained tender. "How am I supposed to feel?"

"Ever donated blood before? Red Cross? Places like that?"

"Yeah."

"How did it affect you?"

"What? I ate a cookie afterward!" I shouted. "It didn't require a trip to the E.R. because my entire body was on fire for hours! Are you insane? Do you have some kind of disability that keeps you from thinking logically?! Why would you even ask that? Do you think they're supposed to be similar experiences?! Here, take my blood, give me a cookie and I'll be on my way?!" So much for being respectful, but he didn't deserve it. He'd never get it.

A slight knock redirected my attention to the door. Finally.

His eyes narrowed and his mouth tightened into a line. He was angry, but his voice remained calm. "I think it's time you go now, Miss Swan, before I do something I regret."

When I was at the door, he began to open it. I could see the creature on the other side, waiting for me. His short, blond curly hair seemed to shimmer in the dim hall lights, and no other feature on his face with the exception of his nose was highlighted. He wasn't familiar. How many more were there that I hadn't seen? How many more vampires existed in this house, in L.A., the world?

Before I could walk through, Edward grabbed my arm, restraining me from my freedom. I looked into his fresh red eyes, no longer burgundy. "And just so you know. Yes. The experiences are supposed to be the same. Donate some blood, eat your cookie and don't back talk the nurses."

He threw me into the hall, where the other vampire caught me; the way a brick wall would receive an angry person's wrath if they threw a glass and it shattered. I caught my breath and stood upright against the stranger, staring at Edward lingering just behind the doorway.

"Good-day to you madam," he said and sealed himself away.

. . . x . . .

_So __much __blood__. __It __covered __the __floor__, __slowly __inching __toward __my __feet__. __At __first__, __I __could __feel __the __panic __run __through __my __chest__. __Who __died__? __Whose __blood __had __spilled__? __But __then__, __I __didn__'__t __care __and __began __to __roll __in __it__, __smiling__._

I woke up screaming. I tossed against the sheets, folding myself into the linen. A hand touched my shoulder, a sweet voice shushed me, telling me it was okay, that I was only having a nightmare.

Even in the dark, through the haze of my dream, I knew it was Rosalie. I pushed my palm over my eyes, realizing the shadows of the room weren't completely black. The bathroom light was on, just how I liked it.

"It's okay, Bella," Rosalie said. "You were dreaming."

She always seemed fearless. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen her scared of anything. I'd come to the conclusion she wasn't hypnotized, but wondered how she remained stable. What was her secret for not freaking out? I massaged my bicep, the burn still coursing its way through my body days after Edward bit me. Ever since then, I'd had the same dream every night. Blood on the floor, in my hair, under my fingernails. It frightened me more than I could handle. "Aren't you scared?" I asked, catching my breath. "Aren't you scared of them? Of this place?"

"No," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"How? How are you not?"

"I don't think about it." She looked away, toward the bathroom light. "When I met Emmett, he offered to bring me here, promised me food and shelter. He said his family could protect me from everything, would take me where no one could ever find me." She sighed as her eyes began to shimmer with tears. "I'm not like you, Bella. I want to be here. Anything is better than my old life." She wiped away a tear then apologized. "I don't usually talk about it. It's easier to forget if I don't."

"I'm sorry," I said, and remained silent, watching her as she drifted to sleep once more. These monsters, to her, were protectors. The outside world was the enemy. What could've happened to this beautiful woman that made her decide to run to vampires? Was her life _that_ bad? I thought of Dad, and wondered if I could ever have a normal life after I escaped, knowing what I knew. _If_ I escaped. No. I would. I had to remain positive. I had to stay sane, and distance myself from Edward.

I had no doubt he'd drag me into Hell with him.

. . . x . . .

After lunch that day, I briefly mentioned to Jasper that I wanted to speak with Aro. His brow furrowed, I'm sure curious, then said I'd have my chance to speak with him at dinner, but would mention it if he had time.

That wasn't my preferred avenue. Edward was going to be there, a bump in my goal of _not_ to see him. Somehow, I had to get Aro by himself, but by dinnertime, I hadn't thought of a plan.

Dressed in a cream-colored, floor-length gown and flats, I sat at the long table and picked at the rice on my plate. Like the bruise on my neck, my appetite had waned over the past few days. The thought of food made me sick, and I knew recent events had caused this change.

Edward sat to the left of me, his gray suit firmly pressed and his eyes losing their brightness, though still red. I still had no answer as to what caused the change, only a thought about his eating habits. Before he bit me, they were dark. When I woke the next day, they were bright red. Was blood the answer, and how long would he have to go before his irises began to change?

I sipped my vitamin-enhanced water, not being able to remove the thought of Jasper stirring in the white powder, giving the smooth liquid a chalky consistency.

I cleared my throat against the stiff cello music playing across the room. "It's a little dead tonight," I said, placing my glass back on the table.

All eyes were on me then including Edward's. They glimmered in the dim candle light on the table, accompanied by the extravagant chandelier hanging overhead. Aro smirked then slapped the table with his hand. His high-pitched laughter made it seem he was delighted.

Oh. Dead.

"It appears you're right, Isabella," Aro said, laughter still stirring his words. "Any suggestions on how we can liven things up?"

I shook my head. "I just meant it was quiet. No one was talking, which is odd."

"After hundreds of years there's not much to talk about anymore," Edward said, leaning back in his chair, propping his wrist against his leg as if to get comfortable.

"Nonsense. This is, of course, his opinion, not a fact. Although, when Edward speaks, one questions which is what." Aro held my gaze, leaning more into the table and resting his elbow on the edge.

My expression must've shown my confusion. After a moment, Edward responded, "He means that my opinion will often present itself as fact― while it could be just my opinion, but because of my ability, I'm prone to telling the truth, which is a fact."

"Speaking of ability, I'm curious how it's coming along, Edward." Aro said. "We haven't had much chance to talk the past few days."

"It's a dutiful chore."

_Be __quiet__._

"None of the previous techniques have moved you forward?"

Edward shook his head. "None, but I'll keep trying."

"I would like to see your progress later."

_Be __still__. __Be __quiet__. __Be __respectful__. _

"I assure you, everything is normal with exception to the shield. I'm taking proper precautions."

That was it. "Proper precautions my ass. He almost killed me a few nights ago," I directed at Aro.

Edward's eyes widened and he said under his breath, "Be quiet."

Oh, he didn't like me talking about him, huh? "You want to talk about truth? Tell him how you nearly killed me."

Across the table, Jasper's face lifted. It was the first sign of interest he'd shown all day.

For a moment, Aro appeared thoughtful, but then raised his hands to the table. "Thank you everyone for coming. You're dismissed. No, not you Isabella. Stay."

I sat back down. Aro and Edward removed themselves from the table while they waited for the room to empty before continuing their conversation.

"Edward, is this true?" Aro asked.

"No, of course not!"

"Isabella, your neck." Aro held out his hand, a gesture for me to join him.

I pushed in my chair and stood in front of him, turning my head so he could receive an adequate view of Edward's handy work. Aro ran a finger over the wound. A growl pierced the silence. It was Edward. His nostrils flared and his top lip twitched.

"Are you in control of yourself?"

He set his jaw and straightened his back. "I'm always in control."

"Apparently, you're not. This bite is sloppy, forced. It won't be cured by time alone. What were you thinking? Did you mean to kill her?"

That question silenced him, maybe because he knew it was true. Or, I thought it was true. It felt like death that night. Either way, everything about Edward was being questioned: his methods, his behavior, his credibility. I didn't dare smile outwardly, but on the inside I was grinning from ear to ear.

"I tested the flow from her neck, but there was a small complication," he tried to explain. "She had a few small symptoms. That's all. Whatever else is said is a _complete_ exaggeration."

But Aro wasn't buying it. He shook his head and templed his fingers to the floor in front of him. "You hold a contemptment, Edward. These past few years, I've watched you slip from your high status. You sneak out at night, don't think I haven't noticed you coming and going in the early hours of the morning. Your complete disregard for our laws has corrupted your way of thinking, and corrupted my ability. I've turned my head for too long. It's beginning to affect business."

"Prove I've broken one law! Prove I've broken _only __one_ and you may take my head! I've been loyal to you, protected you! I've never harmed you! I've been a faithful servant to your reign, Aro!"

"You've been a servant to yourself! You keep your own head, not mine! Furthermore, you've not liked this girl from day one and now you wish to destroy her. You wish to gamble the lives of my stock for your foolish emotions that are as pathetic as the humans you despise so much."

And I thought my parents were bad. Aro's stare was founded on violence and it frightened me, but Edward... the way he looked at me. I'd never forget it. I was sure he'd kill me the next time he saw me.

He stormed out of the large room, the sound of the door slamming against the walls echoing behind him. He disappeared down the hall and when he was gone completely my shoulder became cool.

Aro's hand was there. He'd watched Edward go just as I did. "I'm sorry, my dear. I never wanted this for you. Demetri!" And there was Demetri, stepping into the room like a dog being called by his master. "Please escort Isabella to my room in fifteen minutes. I'd like a moment to myself."

He, too, was gone. I guess that was one way to gain a private meeting with him.

. . . x . . .

The tall doors of Aro's bedroom were like giants guarding a fort. Their amazing construction didn't seem possible in this world of dark and scary. Gold trim, floral designs, no visible locks. Even without knowing what was behind this door, I knew it would be different than the other rooms.

Demetri knocked twice. Thorough, solid rappings sure to wake the dead on the other side.

"Enter," a muffled voice responded.

I turned a gold knob, slipping through the crack and shutting the door behind me. I left the vampire who'd brought me here in the hall, but sealed myself inside with another — one more dangerous than the first.

I never knew what to expect with Aro, and being alone with him sent my thoughts into a ravenous frenzy.

An unexpected warmth greeted me, melting the chill which had settled into my muscles the moment I arrived in that desolate place. A crackling fire on the left sent shadows and orange light dancing across the room. Silhouettes formed on the right, bare wall. No pictures or instruments or thousands of books. Simply nothing.

There was a iron-wrought bed with white sheets and pillows with a nightstand on either side holding a hurricane lamp on each. A layer of dust covered every surface, and I realized then how empty and lonely someone must feel when they're in here.

"Isabella."

I tensed at Aro's voice, wishing I could be invisible. His pale hand rested on the arm of the tall chair, blocking his body from view.

"Come closer, child. Sit here." He gestured to the floor beside him.

Next to him, in front of the warm fire, I curled my legs and sat on the rug with my hands in my lap. _Be __respectful__. __Be __still__. __Be __quiet__. _

I couldn't stop the twitch in my jaw. The tick seemed to help keep me from wanting to run from the room. I looked up at him, then, curious if he was waiting for me to say something. He'd been watching me, those red eyes were shining in the fire's glow. A dark robe draped across his shoulders and arms. Its length was so extravagant it nearly touched my knees on the floor. His black hair made his skin appear more pale in this light. He grinned. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here?"

"Did Jasper talk to you?"

"Jasper provides regular updates. He says you're beginning to show signs of adjusting. Your mannerisms have changed, he says. You're complacent. Is this true?"

I took a steady breath. _I__'__m __beginning __to __adjust__, __yes__. __Sure__. __If __that__'__s __what __he __wants __to __believe__. _"Actually, that's what I've come to talk to you about. I'm hoping you'll hear me out."

"You've come to talk to me?"

"Yes... sir. I requested an audience to see you."

"It was never mentioned. Why did you want to speak?"

_Be __respectful__._ "I've gone along with this... abduction. I've been reasonable of what's been demanded of me. And with that said, I wanted to make a bargain."

"Bargain?"

"Yes." _Remain __still__. _

He began to smile. "What leads you to believe I'll even want to bargain?"

"Because I'm offering what you want."

"And how do you know what I want?" he asked, resting his chin on his fingers.

"My blood. It's why you're keeping me. It's why you wanted Edward to break my mind," I said. His name on my lips made me want to cringe, but Aro's face seemed to lift as his gaze drifted from the crackling fire to me.

"You'd give yourself willingly?" he asked.

I nodded, unable to find my voice in that moment.

"What do you wish in return?"

"A simple favor. More time from my room." _You're __beginning __to __adjust, _he'd said_. _"I'll do anything you ask of me during this time: chores, cooking, laundry, you name it."

"That's all you desire? More chores?"

"Your manor, it's dusty. I'm assuming you have no one to do that for you. Dust, that is."

"Does dust bother you?"

"It's hard to look at. Not only would you be receiving my blood, but a clean place as well. It's a good deal, and in return, in order to do these chores, I'd get a little more freedom."

"I'm at an impasse, my dear. You see, I brought you here tonight to rid you of this circumstance. Another freedom, one of silence and peace. Free of this house, this world."

"You were going to kill me?"

"I told you I would when you first arrived. It's only a matter of time before you all meet your end in this room. It doesn't hurt. I've had years of practice."

"Please don't kill me. I'm fine now. I'm giving you what you want." He looked back to the fire again, seeming to drift. I was losing him, his attention. If I lost his attention, I'd lose everything! I moved from the side of his chair to his feet, placing myself directly in front of him as my heart began to quicken. Desperation raised my arm and offered my bare wrist. He'd said my scent was inviting, and now I was the human tempting the vampire. I was at his mercy. "If it's not too much to ask, sir. I don't want to die."

Cadaverous, shaking fingers flitted along my wrist and up my forearm as though he were afraid to touch my skin before he withdrew to my hand and grasped it firmly. There was a moment of unsurety, of whether he intended to raise my arm to his face. His pupils grew larger, wild. "Such warmth," he said. "It pierces my skin. I can feel it in my chest. A palpitation. Odd for an old, dead heart." His eyes locked with mine. "How are you so heated?"

I swallowed. My heart was in my throat as I shook my head. "Must be the fire," I suggested.

"Yes. The fire." He appeared thoughtful, skimming his fingertips along my wrist. "I'll agree to these terms, but I require a good faith payment, proof you'll keep your word."

"Fine."

"Regardless of what others may think of you, you'll be of great value here," he said.

I took a sharp breath, startled when his finger was on my cheek. It fell to my chin and pushed my face to meet his gaze. "Your blood is, I'm sure, exquisite. If only you didn't possess such a terrible gift. If immortal, you'd be a queen."

He grinned, eyes squinting as he moved from the chair, stepping over my submissive form. The robe waved in my face while I took in a breath. It smelled clean, but old... like my grandparents' house. I remembered Sunday afternoon dinners there when I was younger and the sound of laughter. I yearned for the outside world a little more.

"The fire is dying. Would you mind giving it a stir?" he asked, his back to me as he pulled open the curtain shielding the floor-to-ceiling window.

I nodded, though he couldn't see. I prodded the logs with an iron poker then returned it to its place leaning against the bricks. I kept my position on my knees, although I felt the pull of the night through the window. It begged me to look at it, to study the surroundings, the colors. I resisted. It hurt to do so.

"We're not savages, Isabella. Although, legend will have you believe otherwise."

"Edward would have me believe otherwise," I said.

"Your interactions have been unpleasant." He stared out the window I desired to be at. "But I trusted my possessions with no one else. In all the years I've known him, he never took anything of mine for granted until recently. You've stirred something in his mind, a need for more, I believe. Dangerous notions."

"I think he means to kill me." Slowly, carefully, I rose and approached Aro, but kept my distance. "If I'm giving my blood willingly, do you still need control of my mind?"

I couldn't interpret his face, but his eyes lifted. "No. No, I suppose not."

"Then, the meetings with Edward could stop?" The very idea caused my breathing to accelerate.

His gaze was back out the window, and mine was, too. Blue moonlight fell over the yard. My first glimpse of the outside world in what felt like years. Aro's room was on the first floor. I guess the old man had trouble walking up the stairs. How easy it would be to get out from here.

I could step front of him, reach for the latch on the side of the window and unhook it from its place. I would hold the frame for balance and leap to the ground a few feet below. I'd smile at the feel of soft grass caressing my bare feet, the cool air filling my lungs with incredible freshness. The moonlight would touch my skin, and the night would chirped and hum in the distance like a beautiful symphony. Then, I'd run.

My hair was pushed behind my shoulder, collecting my imagination and dumping it out the window. "I suppose there's no further need for Edward to interfere."

And there it was. Freedom. _No __further __need __for __Edward__._ There was hope again, relief, and breath. No more Edward. I wouldn't have to see him anymore.

My happiness at this new declaration was short-lived. Aro's fingers lingered on my hair until he brought them to his face. He inhaled deeply, his intake more of a growl than a breath. I'd rid myself of Edward, but had turned myself over to another monster.

"Let us be done with this. Tomorrow, you will make good on your word," he said.

I nodded and turned away, wringing my hands in front of me. I'd succeeded in doing what I set out to do, but why did this feel off? Every inch of my skin prickled as I started for the bedroom doors.

* * *

| . . . : . . .|

_Metamorphosis 2_ by Philip Glass. An amazing piano piece.


	13. Fair, Brown and Trembling

**Thank you, Livie79! I'm afraid to sneeze without you.  
**

**.x.  
**

**And to you, I appreciate the love, concerns and general awesomeness. You keep me going.  
**

* * *

**XIII**

_**Fair, Brown and Trembling**_

_**|. . . : . . .|**_

The feeling in that great, wide room was different than any other in the house. Although it still seemed just as cold as every other hall or space, the white walls made it seem sterile. Alcohol filled my nose, and upon walking through the door, my heart slowed, disappearing almost completely. I became still at the sight of large, reclining chairs in front of me — the same I'd seen at the dentist's office. Only these had straps hanging off the sides. Straps.

The extraction room. It had to be, but why was I here?

Though frozen, Jasper still tried to pull me along after him. My alert eyes met his, and with one look, in one second, my chest was a sponge soaking up manufactured comfort. I didn't want to feel it, didn't want to enter that room, but with Aro there, I had little choice. I'd made a promise, hoping he would keep his in return. So, I followed after the empath, hoping he'd be merciful today. I hated to say I needed him, but I'd rely on his ability to help get me through this.

Chrome refrigerators and freezers lined the opposite wall from the chairs. Trays, trash cans, blood pressure cuffs, and tubes were spread out before me; legions of professional hospital equipment completely occupying the room. I remembered the heated argument in Edward's room that night, about blood drives and how their operation was a direct replication. Maybe only in aesthetics. The end result was a little different. There were no volunteers greeting me when I walked in, no sign up table or finger pricks. The only volunteer was me.

This room was the epitome of horror, and even though I wanted to run away screaming I kept silent, ignoring the way my skin prickled from the chill of the vents overhead.

"Good morning, my dear," Aro said as we approached. The door shut loudly behind us.

We stopped in front of him and Jasper released his squeeze around my bicep. "Where are we?"

"This is our extraction chamber. This is where your payment to me will come from."

I nodded. I thought a good faith payment to vampires meant biting. While I was relieved I wouldn't receive the sharp end of teeth, the other option for drawing blood wasn't any better.

"Not having second thoughts are you?"

I crossed my arms in front of me. "No, no. I'm ready to do this."

"We shall see," he responded and held out his hand. I could only assume he wanted me to kiss his knuckles; a sign of my submission to him._Be respectful, stay quiet and do what you're asked to do when within reason._ I leaned in and just barely touched my lips to his unnaturally cool skin, holding back my disgust for what I'd just done.

He smiled, pleased, then gestured to the chair beside us. "Have a seat. How long until you're ready, Jasper?"

He stood at the counter behind the chairs, just turning off the sink when Aro spoke to him. "Almost there."

I sat where instructed, already feeling the intense, almost painful pulse of anxiety clench my chest and stomach._ I can do this. It's just a little bit of blood. It's just a tiny little needle. Nothing to worry about._

Jasper pulled up a round, rolling chair and sat, propping his booted foot on the bar below him. He placed a silver tray on a table beside us, along with a blood bag with tubes.

_Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about._

He pulled the straps hanging from the floor and began to cinch them around my arms. I tried hard to keep my face straight, my expression emotionless, but I'm not sure I succeeded.

"Relax," Jasper nearly whispered as he reached across my torso, the buckle clinking as he tightened it against me. "Try to get comfortable."

I almost laughed as he finished strapping my wrist to the arm of the chair. "I don't know if that's possible. Are the straps necessary?" The restraints weren't tight, but the thought of it holding me in place was enough to set the butterflies loose.

"For someone like you? Yes." His red gaze caught me as he said, "It's vital you relax."

I felt him again, leading me down a road I wanted to avoid, but needed. My heart slowed, not much, but enough to allow my breaths to steady and my body to lax into the chair.

"Is there a problem?" Aro asked as Jasper moved away.

"No, sir. Everything is under control," he responded without so much as a glance in his direction. "She's slightly afraid of needles, but I'll remove any fear lingering before going in."

Aro grinned. "Well, this is quite the predicament you put yourself in."

"Anything is better than what I've been going through."

"Yes. Well, Jasper's talents are very useful here. He's one of my greatest finds. Although, I'm afraid nothing will help with the pain." He almost seemed sorry of that fact._ Nothing will help with the pain._

"Pain I can tolerate. What I've been going through is nothing compared to this." I had to keep telling myself that as a piece of thin rubber was wrapped around my lower bicep._ This is better than Edward._

Jasper's fingers kneaded the inside of my elbow, searching. He found what he was looking for, and a moment later I jumped at the cold burn from an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. The smell filled the air, and I was surprised it was even used at all. After hearing about it many times, not once did I believe it would be clean and sterilized, complete with top of the line medical equipment. My imagination led me to believe I'd see blood, dirt and rot on every surface.

On the wall with the door, there was even a little bit of color against the drone white. A few slathers of blue and pink on a canvas were a bit of comfort to my overactive mind as I waited for Jasper to begin.

"Are you even qualified to do this?" I asked him, breaking the silence.

He smiled. Those pointed teeth weren't missed as his attention was directed to the table and equipment I couldn't see beside me. I was glad my view was blocked by the chair. "I'm over qualified," he said. "Being alive for a century offers many opportunities to learn new things. And now would be a time to look away." He gave me one last dose of his medicine. "You'll feel a pinch, but don't move. I'd hate to stick you more than once."

My fear corroded as I concentrated on the painting, nodding. "I'm ready."

I braced myself for the sting, for the freedom.

And it came with relentless measure. I breathed with shut eyes and knowing discomfort as the blood drained from my body and into a bag, though I was too nauseated to look. I could sense eyes upon me, watching me wither into my thoughts, but I fought back. This was for my freedom, a freedom they wouldn't expect and I held passion for. What I'd masqueraded as conformity was my ultimate deception. Soon, I thought, I'd run from that house for real. I wouldn't have to imagine it. I'd feel the grass beneath my feet, and wind slicing through my hair as I consumed the fresh air.

And then, I wasn't in that room. I was home in Forks, where I'd escaped to. Dad was there, his feet propped in his recliner with a bag of barbecue chips in his lap and a beer in his hand. There was sunlight and warmth and all the comforts of a home I should've never left in the first place.

But when I opened my eyes, I saw hospital white and strokes of blue and pink, accompanied by Jasper's voice. "Done."

"Excellent. Warm that, and have it sent to my room once it's done," Aro said as he began to step toward the exit. "We shall see if she's worth the time and money."

Time and money? No. "That's not what we agreed on. We made a deal. I gave you my blood," I said as he reached the doors, but he gave me one last glance.

"It's nothing personal, Isabella, it's business, and if you're a good business decision then you'll have nothing to worry about. You shall enjoy the comforts of my money, and retain your freedom as well, for a small price."

"And if I'm not a good choice?"

"Then, you'll die, and have nothing to worry about anyway."

He was gone, leaving me in the hands of Jasper, as he pressed dry gauze to my skin, peeled a Band-Aid from the paper. It replaced his finger.

"Don't agonize on what you can't control," he said, standing and beginning to gather the supplies he'd used. "Aro's word is law in this house. We must all abide."

"He tricked me."

"Don't be so dramatic. Do you really think he would've given you what you wanted without knowing what he was getting himself into first?"

"It's just… that part was never mentioned."

He was bent over me, undoing the straps. Spices filled my lungs. "Perhaps next time, you'll choose your words more carefully. C'mon. It's nearly breakfast, and you need to eat."

I followed Jasper to the kitchen, where my fellow roommates were already picking over their food, but I didn't feel like eating much. I chalked up my nausea to my donation, but at least managed a few swallows of cold water.

Afterward, we were locked away until lunch, but Zafrina and Tanya were taken away after they finished their small meal of rice and broccoli. I wondered if they, too, would disappear like Jane, but they came back before dinner. Extraction, I heard them say as I recited my favorite poems in my head while I lay with my back on the floor. I lifted my torso from the ground, curling my stomach and touching my elbows to my knees, trying not to actively seek my experience that morning, but finding it difficult as they spoke briefly of theirs. Tanya mentioned a trip to Aspen, and could almost describe the glittering snow as she sailed down a mountain on her skis. Zafrina's vision was quite different and involved running through a forest filled with fireflies.

Each time, a new sight, a new wonder they escaped to in their mind, and I couldn't help but think of how lucky they were of being allowed such release. I would remain stuck in that moment with nothing to look forward to but the breath I'd take when it was over.

I couldn't seem to shake the last words Aro had said. I'd die if he didn't approve of my blood. He'd kill me, and that would be it.

Bella Swan would be erased from the world without so much as a clue or question of what happened to her. My death would remain locked away in the corners of this house. No recollection of my time spent on this Earth would remain. I'd be dust, or a lost name. Not even the girls I was in the room with would remember me, except for Rosalie, maybe. Then, again, she didn't seem to care.

So on the floor I remained, reciting old poems and stories I'd read months ago; trying to remember the words and dialogue from characters I barely knew as I waited for my fate.

And through a knock on the door I was summoned, as if my thoughts could bring about my apocalypse.

I followed, feeling the knots form inside my cavity. Where was I going? To die, or to live? And it was inside the throne-like room, I found my answer.

I curled at the steps of Aro's mercy, while Edward sat on his right and a dark-haired man on his left. My hatred for Edward didn't go unnoticed by him, and he looked away, his anger very apparent.

"It has been decided," Aro said, "that you'll remain in this house until you've expired your last drop."

I released my breath, and relief came. Death wouldn't come so soon. I still had time. "So, you were pleased?"

"To say you're good for business is the least of what should be said. With your blood, I shall be able to provide you and your sisters a better home. You should be proud of yourself."

"And, you'll keep your word?" I asked.

I glanced at Edward. His nostrils were flared, his knuckles white – almost yellow – from gripping the arms of the chair as he stared at some unknown object to his right. Clearly, he was perturbed by this turn of events, and I liked it. I enjoyed seeing him suffer. It meant he wasn't winning, and if he wasn't, then I was.

He moved from his chair and away from us, an echo of sharp steps following after him.

"I'm nothing but a man of words, Isabella, and I keep them. In a few days, when you're body has recovered from the collection, you may begin your work."

The doors closed with Edward's departure, and my spirit lifted. So far, my plan had worked out. I was in Aro's favor, and with that favor I was granted a small piece of freedom.

"Thank you, sir," I said with a small grin.

He simply nodded and waved his hand toward my escort, who touched my shoulder and pulled me with a single finger. It didn't take much convincing to pull me along. I was ready to be away from the intense presence of the head vampire.

In the hall, more shadow fell than light, and from one of those shadows, Edward appeared. His black v-neck shirt had concealed him well-enough, but his pallor had given him away so easily. He didn't startle me, or cause me to step back, I just stopped walking because the vampire beside me did. He was no different than any of the others. They all yielded to his penetrating stare and predator-like posture, as though he were ready to strike.

One look from Edward caused him to flee from my side, ducking his head and disappearing down the corridor like he'd never been from the start.

I'd been wrong about him being perturbed. No. It was so much more than that. His jaw ticked behind straight lips and his eyes were wild and dark red. Had he not been drinking? He looked as though he'd explode any moment, all I had to do was light the fuse.

"Can I help you?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of me.

He remained still, quietly seething.

"I need to go back to my room," I said, and began to move around him, but like a magnet, he moved with me, blocking my escape as always.

"Do you think you're smart enough to pull this off?" he asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You might be able to fool Aro, but you don't fool me." He leaned closer. "We both know you're up to something. I'll uncover it, and when I do, you won't have to worry about sitting in your bedroom anymore. You'll be locked in a cage in the corner of_ my_ room."

"Aro would never allow that. I'm a good business decision, remember?"

"And you think he's going to treat you like he treats the other girls, like you're not there? You're wrong." He almost laughed. "I saw the dollar signs in his eyes when he sampled you. Aro doesn't care about the well-being of anybody in this house, except himself."

"That's why he's going to allow me a comfort? Makes sense."

He punched the wall he had me pinned against, though he never touched me. I'm surprised he didn't create a hole. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," he said. "You've sold your soul to the devil, and he'll never let you go."

"You're just angry it's not you! If you were in his place, you'd have no problem with this arrangement! Why are you so obsessed with me? Don't touch me!" I stepped away from his advance, or what I thought was an advance. He seemed to move toward me, but perhaps it was my imagination or a trick of the dim light.

His brow furrowed, his expression pulled into fury. "All I've ever done is protect you from_ him,_ and you've fucked everything up. Do you really think you'll win against him, or me? You're a pathetic, weak human! You don't know anything about what happens in this house. I do! I see everything!"

"That's right, Edward. I'm a pathetic human, but I'm a human you can't control. I have nothing else to say to you." I took a step to move around him, but he blocked my path once again. "Let me pass."

"No," he growled.

"Then take me back to my room." I gestured down the hall. "You can stare at me all the way there, and brood all you like."

"You're still having difficulty learning your place, aren't you?"

"My place isn't around you anymore. I'm sure you've heard Aro, by now. You have no control over me. You're obsolete. We shouldn't even be having this conversation. Now let me pass, or do I need to inform him of what you're doing? You're keeping me from my rest."

God, my heart. It pounded against my chest, rattling my nerves yet holding me steady. I knew I could never hide my fear from Edward. He knew he frightened me more than anyone else in that hideous cavern of dim lights, stoney walls and freakishly long corridors. But, I kept my back straight, through the vicious pounding, and stared him in the eyes as he leaned over me. My stomach churned and my arms began to tingle as he moved his gaze from my eyes to my neck. I covered my hand over the bite, blocking the memory. Was he tempted to do it again?

The burn resurfaced, singeing the tender area of flesh around my throat. I cringed, breaking my own wall of determination and strength, and he watched as I crumbled under his acute gaze. "I want to go back to my room," I said, pressing my hand to my stomach as though it would draw the discomfort out. "I'm tired."

I took a step to move past him again, and this time he didn't block me. He allowed me to pass, and followed me as we wove down the maze of halls. I was learning the paths to take, slowly but surely.

Quietly, he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and found the correct one in an instant. Every creature in this coven seemed to have this key. Was it a skeleton key, a key to unlock not just one door, but all of them?

If so, that would be my ticket to freedom. I had to get hold of one, a seemingly impossible task.

The door swung open and I stepped inside without so much as another word from Edward or myself. The girls were still awake, the lamps next to the beds still turned on and casting a safe light over the room. They were all there. No one had gone missing in my short absence.

I found it strange that Alice had curled herself into a tight ball when she was usually lounging on her back, chatting up the other girls. I nudged Rosalie as she was coming out of the bathroom. "What's wrong with Alice?" I whispered.

"It's that time of the month," she said as discreetly as possible, either to avoid embarrassing Alice (though, not likely) or keep her from hearing we were talking about her. I nodded. My cramps were bad, but usually not bad enough to send me into the fetal position.

I sat on my knees next to the bed, stroking Alice's arm from my position on the floor, and momentarily ignoring my own pain. "Is there anything I can do?"

Her expression was strange. While her body fought pain, her face showed no repercussion of her position while her arm moved up and down on her belly. She appeared normal, but blank and empty. A tortured doll screaming on the inside. There had to be something I could do, but she never answered me.

"I'm here if you need anything," I said before stroking her arm one last time and rising from the floor and next to Rosalie once again. "Maybe we can ask for a towel and some hot water. I know that helps me."

"No," Rose said. "They've been informed. They brought pads and mesh underwear."

"That's it? That's all we get?"_ Mesh underwear? What the..._

"They're never that concerned. She won't donate blood for a couple of weeks, but that's it." She curled her fingers into my elbow and pulled me away from the other girls. Her voice lowered. "Bella, I have to tell you something." There was a nervous edge in her voice which only heightened the phantom burn in my neck.

"What is it?"

She leaned in closer. "The other girls won't notice it, but I know you will."

"What will I notice?"

"I don't know what it is, but something happens to Alice during... just... don't be afraid of what you may hear later on. If it even happens at all."

"What do you mean?"

Rosalie took a long glance at Alice. "It's just that, sometimes when this happens, Alice isn't Alice anymore. She's different, and know that it'll pass, and they'll come in here to fix her, but don't let what you're going to see or hear cloud your judgment. I don't think she can help it." Her expression turned almost sour.

"I don't understand."

"You will. It's difficult to explain. Keep your distance." Her palm rested on my shoulder and she rubbed it a few times before retiring to bed, but I wanted her to explain more. What would I judge Alice for? She was the epitome of something good in the world, a light in a dark place with her optimism and celebration of wonder. Alice was beautiful. I could never judge her, unless I wanted to hate her. Part of me did because she was so perfect and unlike me. She was able to cope with these creatures, and wasn't regarded as trouble. Hell, she was even loved by one. Was she extended mercy? Was she regarded as a veteran donor, standing on a pedestal above the rest of us? I didn't know.

Just like I didn't know the extent of Alice's thoughts. I didn't know how deep they ran, or how terrifying they were until she screamed that night, waking me from my sleep. Her scream sent a wave of cold down my spine, and petrified me until I couldn't bear it any longer.

Her demons were greater than my own.


	14. The Waking of Sleeping Beauty

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**XIV**

_**The Waking of Sleeping Beauty**_

**|. . . : . . .|**

I shivered under the heavy blanket, knowing the reason for the extreme chill was from the pint of blood they'd taken earlier. No matter how tight I pulled the sheets to my chin I couldn't stay warm. My teeth nearly chattered out of my skull for heaven's sake! I felt my arms would fall off, or my legs would numb if I didn't tuck them close to my body.

I couldn't warm myself and if I wasn't warm, then I wouldn't sleep. It was then I felt Rosalie's heat radiating beside me like my own personal space heater. I touched my freezing toes to her calf, testing her and myself, wondering if I should take our relationship to the next level. Her skin burnt a hole through mine. God, it felt good. With no shame, I nestled closer, robbing her of any personal space to claim her heat as my own. The last time I was so cold, I'd been shoveling snow from the walk-up at Dad's in the peak of winter.

The memory caused a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold.

Rosalie didn't seem to mind. She peeked over her shoulder and I thought I saw her grin, but she remained silent and allowed me to bask in her warm presence. My eyes burned from the lack of sleep, and I knew I needed to close them, but I couldn't stop thinking about Alice.

I didn't know why her period was so painful, but she continued to shuffle, interrupting the sound of the air blowing from the small vent a few feet from my bed. I wanted to comfort her for all the times she comforted me, or offered a gentle smile, but Alice had disappeared beneath the pain and suggestions. Then again, she was more alive than usual at this time of night.

While everyone else slept, she tossed and turned. I listened with alert ears and heavy eyelids for a while, not being able to tip over the edge of consciousness no matter how still I lay or how bad I wanted it. My ears were keen to the movements across the room. When it seemed she'd settled, I calmed and began to float into the peaceful dark, the only escape I had for the moment.

No sooner, it seemed, had I closed my eyes a scream pierced my ears and startled my peace. I turned my back to Rosalie when Alice's breaths picked up, and I watched as she sat up from her pillow.

The sparse glow from the bathroom provided just enough light for me to see her form stumble from the bed across the room before she stepped into the yellow beam. Her darkened silhouette swayed back and forth. Then she turned, revealing a profile and confirming it was, indeed, Alice. Her straight nose, dainty chin and tousled hair gave her away. Her fingertips touched her lips then her cheek, as though she were figuring herself out, like she woke from a dream and wasn't sure she was real.

"Where am I?" she asked. Her voice small and blank, unbelieving. She backed into the shadow again, the dark swallowing her body and she screamed, her hysterical plea penetrating the walls, too big for the small space.

"Where am I?!"

Her words were saturated with confusion and fear, more fear than I thought I could ever muster. She'd woken from a dream and into a nightmare, as I could only watch her shuffle around the room until she made for the cracked light leaking from the bathroom. She braced herself against the sink, turning the water on and splashing it on her face and arms. Over the soft sound of running water, her sobs struck like sad laughter.

Alice stumbled from the bathroom, not bothering to turn the water off, and toward the door. She flattened her body against the wood and began to strike with her palms. She cried, the sounds resonating around me and into the hall. She wanted her mom, she said. She wanted to go home, she said. She didn't deserve to be there, she said, and she wouldn't do it again. She promised.

Despite the aching cold and Rosalie's warning, I went to her, although I was cautious in my movements. She looked at me, her eyes wild and lost in the great shadow and seemed surprised I was there.

"Where's Charlotte?" She shook under my grasp, her body trembling through my hands and into my bones as she sank against the door. "Where'd they take her?"

"Charlotte?" My confusion mirrored hers. My breaths were heavy, taking in her stink of sweat and blood.

A tear slid down her cheek, glistening until it reached shadow. "Who are you? Where is she?"

My brow furrowed. "I'm Bella, Alice. You know me."

"Where's Charlotte? Where'd they take my sister? Where am I? I thought I knew, but I don't know this place."

I wasn't quite sure what to say or how to deal with what she was asking. I shook my head, the air escaping slowly from my burning lungs. "I don't know," I said without a singe of hope she'll ever know what happened to her sister.

She grasped my gown at the neck with her tight fists and pulled me closer to her. "They mean to kill us." Her watering eyes caught the light from the bathroom and her voice quivered from the cold, or fear. "They'll put us in a room, a dark room with no sun. The world will burn around us until there's nothing left. You believe me, don't you?"

I nodded, wishing I'd listened to Rosalie when she said to keep my distance.

"We have to get out of here," she said, releasing her grip and turning away from me. She pulled on the door handled, twisting and turning it every which way. "We have to get out of here! Why aren't you helping me?!"

She struck the door with her fists, shouting obscenities I never thought would come from her mouth. "You can't keep me in here forever! I'll fucking kill you if you don't give me back my sister!" Then, she screamed, her arms tensing at her side. Not a high-pitched, ear piercing scream, but a low, monstrous, throaty scream. A raged exclamation of oppression to her captors, and they answered.

The door unlocked and she was thrown into the wall behind the slab as they entered with great force. Felix's large frame filled the entrance, another nameless, unfamiliar face behind him, then Jasper.

Alice rose and stomped into their view, her face a ball of anger. She raised her arm to hit Felix, but he blocked her and slapped her across the face. The blow pushed her to the floor. "Quit your screaming," he said.

I couldn't think my actions through. He'd slapped her! "Hey!" I stepped in front of him, blocking him from reaching out to her again. "Don't touch her!"

"Large words from a human." Felix's voice boomed. "Go back to bed."

I ran my tongue along the sharp angles of my bottom molars. "No. You have no right to hit her. She can't help it!"

"Perhaps you need a lesson in manners!"

I took another step, my body beginning to shake with adrenaline and lack of blood. I was so very cold. "You might want to talk to Aro about that. I'm sure he'd be upset if I were harmed in any way. You'd end up like James, struck to the floor the night I arrived. He thought I needed manners, too."

Felix turned his head to Jasper, behind him. He shrugged, agreeing with me, and with that Felix settled.

Having favor with Aro came in handy.

I eyed the bare walls in the hallway, knowing how clear my exit would be if I were to take my escape. I'd move past Felix and the nameless vampire with such ease since their focus was on Alice. I'd have navigated through those halls because I'd studied their many paths and endings. I would've made it to the kitchen and out the high window after shattering it with a frying pan. But during that temptation, I knew if I took that opportunity, I'd let Dad down._Make your escape count._

It wasn't the time to flee. Not yet.

"Let me by," Jasper said. "I'll calm her."

He knelt in front of the shivering heap that was Alice as she held the side of her face. She moved away from him with the other arm, I'm sure afraid of what he could be capable of if he moved to hit her as Felix had. The night I tried to escape from James, I'd experienced the force behind their attacks. Sometimes, I could still feel the pain in my ribs, and I'm sure I'd never forget it.

He held out a hand, and she flinched. "No, no. I won't hurt you. I want to help. Please let me help," he begged as tender as the whispers he spoke when they talked privately at the doorway.

I felt pressure on my chest. The forced calm he gave to Alice affected everyone in the vicinity. She allowed him to touch her without screaming or name calling after that, and although her eyes were still wide with paranoia, she looked at him. Her brow dipped, perhaps in curiosity and I could only imagine what she felt and thought as she gazed into his eyes. Did she find him familiar, or new? Maybe both? I couldn't deny my curiosity for how the hypnosis worked.

"Where are you taking her?" I asked as Jasper escorted her from the room.

"Somewhere safe for the next few days."

That's all he offered before the door was closed and we were left in the dark once more. I turned off the water in the bathroom then crawled under the safety of the sheets and comforter. Rosalie's eyes opened.

"I told you to keep your distance," she said.

**. . . A FEW DAYS LATER . . .**

I was given old, shredded gowns and wood polish. It appeared to be a brand new bottle, full of thick, gold liquid. Jasper walked in front of me and I followed him into a small sitting room. Two windows were opposite me, the light guarded by thick, red curtains, but it still managing to etch small, luminous lines onto the ceiling and wood floor. A large coffee table separated the brown, leather sofa from the brick fireplace which was covered in oddities. Golden statues of curvaceous women with linens wrapped around them held blue and white fragile-looking urns. Between them was a box, and behind that a framed mirror.

I stood among all the antiques, curious at their origin and somehow comforted at the normalcy of that stuff. I could pretend, if only for a moment I was cleaning a rich, pompous man's house.

"You can start in here," Jasper said. "Remove all the crap from the mantle, clean it then put it back in the exact order. Hey, are you listening?"

I lowered my eyes from the high, beamed ceiling. "I'm listening."

"Polish the wood thoroughly, clean the windows and when you're finished with that then you can vacuum."

"I thought the girls took turns vacuuming."

He shook his head as he sat in a high-backed, red chair and plucked a newspaper from the table next to him, letting out a groan reserved for old, tired men. "They're not allowed in this part of the house."

"Aren't I special," I said. My interest for the windows grew. I wanted to see the life outside my prison during the day, and that's where I stepped to first, running my finger along the rough fabric. "Do you mind if I let in some light?" I didn't wait for his answer. I separated the heavy material, the rings along the rod at the very top of the ceiling singing as they slid. The afternoon sun spilled into the room, revealing the dust clouding and dissipating into a million shiny particles.

Jasper flinched, bringing his newspaper over his face and moaning. My eyes grew wide at what I'd done, shocked at the realization I'd just introduced light to a vampire. A big no-no, but then I smiled at running through the mansion and drawing back every single curtain until they were all a steaming pile of ash. That thought delighted me and I bit my lip, trying not to chuckle.

"Sorry," I said._ Not really._ "I forgot."

He peeked over the black and white print, the golden curls on his head seeming to glitter in the indirect light sliding across the floor next to his chair. "Warn someone the next time you do that," he said, agitated. I could feel it across the room.

No smoke or panic or ash. Nothing. He didn't fear the light. Were the legends regarding these coffin-sleeping, nocturnal demons untrue?

His red glare broke and he returned to his Los Angeles Times with the vigor of a business man on Monday morning. I couldn't help but sneak a peek at the outside world and smiled when my eyes settled on the tall trees surrounding the front yard and drive-way disappearing into the forest. I wished to feel the air on my face and smell the grass. I couldn't imagine a city being somewhere on the other side of those pines. There was no skyline or hint of civilization. It reminded me of the cool woods in Washington.

I set myself to work, clearing the knick-knacks from the end tables, mantle and shelves on the built-in bookcases on either side of the fireplace. I lined them all on the coffee table and sat with a piece of old gown wrapped around my index finger to begin dusting them.

Some wouldn't come as clean as they would have when they were new. Some of the silver-plated trinkets bore black spots on them and I set them to the side to come back to them later. I wanted to put in the effort. If I actually did what I said I'd do, then my performance would give me some moving room, at least I'd hoped. I picked up the mirror and turned it over, wiping away the dust from the glass first and catching a glimpse of Jasper's pale hands gripping the edges of his paper in the reflection.

Immune to light and still maintained a reflection. These origins were unfounded.

I sighed and flattened the back of the mirror against the table so I could dust the frame.

"You're bothered by something?" Jasper asked.

"No."

"Good. I'd hate to think there was something wrong with Aro's instructions."

"No. No. It's not that," I said quickly._ I'm glad_ he_ can't read minds. But, while he's talking..._ "I'm just wondering what's wrong with her?"

"What's wrong with who?"

"Alice. The other night, what was that about?"

After a few moments of silence, it became clear he didn't intend to answer.

"Why don't you like talking about her?"

"Why do you insist?"

"Because she's in the same room with me, and I'm curious. I'd like to know so I'm better prepared if it ever happens again."

I stared at him, the old mirror on the table forgotten. He noticed this, and relieved his paper, folding it into his lap. "You're not going to shut up, are you?" he asked.

I shook my head. No I wasn't.

He looked around briefly before answering, "She's sick."

"What does she have?"

"According to her medical records, an ovarian cyst."

"You guys keep medical records here?"

"Timestamps, logs of blood, but not medical. The scout who found her thought Aro would be interested considering he picked her up in a drop-in center."

Drop-in center? I must've appeared confused because he further iterated. "Where humans go when they're addicted to drugs and have mental illnesses that their families are too lazy to deal with."

Oh my God! "You picked her up from a men—"

"Sh! Keep your voice down! Yes, I mean no! It wasn't me. It was a scout! He found her, thought her blood would be good for the house, just as Jacob did with you." His whisper was angry, but he calmed after he looked around again. The mention of Jacob's name made me want to break the glass in front of me.

"So he just took her away from her family?"

He leaned forward, his face contorting into an angry mess of lines. "She didn't have much of a family to begin with, Bella. Don't try to understand something you know nothing about."

"And you feel sorry for her, don't you?"

"I have no pity for humans."

"You do for her. You love her, and you can't deny it."

"If you don't keep your voice down, I'll take you back to your room. Don't speak of us like that." He looked around once more, and I knew, then, he was making sure no one was lurking. Satisfied with our empty surroundings he continued, "If anyone heard you..."

If anyone heard? "No one knows?" How could he keep something like that a secret?

"It's heresy. They would kill Alice and lock me in the dungeon just for feeling for her."

"Why don't you just run away with her?" I asked, expecting him to shut down my question any moment.

"It's not so simple. There are laws in place, set forth by Aro many years ago. By law, Alice is his property. Me taking her out of this house is theft. I'd starve for eternity, or what would seem like it." His eyes darted back and forth between the objects on the table, never settling on mine. While his nerves went to work on my own. My stomach turned with anxiety.

"He can't own people," I protested.

But, he only shook his head. "Your world is different from mine," he said. "Your laws were meant to hold mankind, and do not apply to us. We're not men. We required different laws. Be quiet. Someone's coming," he finally whispered.

I took in a sharp breath as he leaned back into his chair, like he was never speaking with me to begin with. I turned my attention to the antiques set out before me, absently stroking the frame of the mirror. I caught the movement from the hall.

He was a mess of dark, copper hair and dark blue. Edward neared the corner of the room entrance and looked at us, then. When he saw Jasper and then me, his lips parted as though he meant to say something, but didn't. He only stared at Jasper, his dark eyes a serious stab into a soul under his furrowed brow.

He'd heard us, or a least he heard Jasper, and Jasper knew it, too. He didn't turn to look at Edward, only stared straight ahead, his hands resting in his lap. It was an unnatural position for him because he appeared too tense, focused, when he was usually neither.

Edward only stood there for a few seconds before his eyes slid to mine. He closed his twitchy mouth, deepened his brow and pulled on a pair of sunglasses.

"Yes, why don't you run away with her, Jasper? I'm sure the two of you would be incredibly happy together," Edward said. "Just think about every time she would try to kill herself, and you'd stop her. The irony," then moved on. His shoes rapped and echoed away from the parlor until there was the sound of the front door opening and closing. Silence.

"What was that about?" I whispered.

Jasper let out a long breath, and stared where Edward had been. "You and Aro. He's been in a great mood ever since the arrangement. In fact, you're to blame for Alice and the chaos that follows."

A car engine rumbled outside. It roared as Edward (I assumed) accelerated then gradually dissipated as he drove away.

"So he's pissy because he's not getting his way?"

"It's more than that. Edward is second in command because of his age and his allegiance to Aro, and you've undermined him, made him feel less important." He picked up the paper again, unfolding it in his lap. "Furthermore, you've gotten Aro to agree with you; a human. Edward has refused to assist him in any matters because of this, which means monitoring the hypnosis – one reason why Alice was allowed to waken. There's no telling what else will happen. More women will begin to realize what's going on, become distressed. An alert livestock," he shook his head, "does no good around here. Which leaves me to take care of them."

I semi-smiled. "You must hate me even more."

"I don't think I could hate you more than I do now, but the truth is, Bella, I owe you."

His statement surprised me. "For what?"

"For defending Alice when I couldn't."

I shrugged. "It wasn't right for him to hit her. She can't help it." I paused, thinking of Edward interrupting our conversation a moment ago. "Must be hard... keeping it from Edward, though."

"No, he knows. He keeps my secret for a price."

I nodded. "And Aro?"

"Can only see actions, so I do nothing to discredit myself, nothing unusual."

"And me?"

He looked up. "You'd do nothing to harm Alice, and if you told, you would. Besides, I think you've known. If you haven't said anything by now, then you won't. I have no choice but to trust you, Bella Swan, and I can not believe I just said that."

I sort-of chuckled because he did, the moment odd, yet easy. The weight I'd been burdened with eased as I stared at him. "No, you can trust me. I wouldn't do anything to hurt those girls."

"I know you wouldn't."

"What is it about her, anyway? Why Alice?"

He looked up from his paper, his lips parted and for a moment he wasn't a vampire. He was as human as me. There was a vulnerable side to him, I saw it. "She reminds me of my wife."

**. . . X . . .**

I ate a dinner of rice, green beans and a piece of whole grain toast with my roommates then returned back to the bedroom. Still no Alice. I'd hoped she'd return soon. It felt strange not seeing her face among the girls. I worried for her and couldn't shake the long conversation I had with Jasper today. Certainly it was the longest and most knowledgeable since I arrived. For a moment I thought it strange he was willing to share so many facts about this place and his life, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Jasper was lonely, probably more than he allowed anyone to believe. He hadn't talked to another person in a long time, at least not of the things we spoke of. How could he?

I absorbed everything he told me, and his words played in my head on repeat. Turns out, he was a soldier for the Confederate army, and the more I stared at his face and hair, the more I could see it – a relic from the Civil War. He'd left his home and wife to fight, and when he returned two years later the house was abandoned, not lived in for months.

At first, he thought she'd died when he found drops of blood around the house, but found no body or grave on the property. Surely, he thought, the servants would've buried her. It seemed they'd just left, or vanished into thin air. He walked the two miles into town, hoping to find a trace, but nothing. Not long after, he stumbled across a beautiful Spanish woman who had attacked and nearly killed him.

"_She was the fiercest creature I'd ever laid my eyes on. There was madness on her face and hunger in her eyes. She bit my neck then tore me to my shoulder. After she finished drinking from me, she left me for dead on the banks of Galveston. I thought it some miracle I'd survived when I woke days later, __and__ realized what I'd become. I'd __acquired__ a thirst from the Devil himself. I eventually found and killed her for what she'd done to me. I couldn't even decide my own fate anymore, how I'd die."_

A life of running, hiding and blending into the shadows, he'd said, scared not of other people, but himself, of how people affected his mind, body and need for blood. I told him I couldn't imagine what he'd gone through. I'd never lost a husband... only a father, and I could empathize with him, and he with me. Years later he joined a coven, and took up arms in their new cause searching for and exterminating other vampires whose thirst had overtaken their mind. During this crusade, he found his wife, but she was no longer a coherent woman. She'd been driven into madness, plagued with the same demons he possessed, only hers caused her to become a monster worse than him. Her only thought was blood, and she no longer recognized Jasper. She was killed before him, slayed like a beast on a hunt and left to rot on the Earth.

Jasper was the one to get closer to, not Aro. He had empathy for Alice, a woman who reminded him of his long-dead wife, and he trusted me because I'd never put her in harms way. He_ trusted_ me. Trusted. If there was ever a way out of the house, it was through Jasper. Having a vampire on my side increased my odds for survival. With him, I didn't only hope to escape, I'd escape alive.


	15. Cinderbella

I've noticed a good bit of people losing hope that this will ever be finished. Don't lose hope, don't get fresh, and think of this as a good faith payment. Do you know how close I am to completing this thing? I can taste the ending on my fingertips, ladies and gents.

And please, for any status updates on this story please refer to my FFn profile, blog or Twitter. It will always let you know what's going on.

**Livie79**, the fabulous author of _Glycerine_ (check it out), pre-reads for me and gives me lots of support, time and love.

**Niko0921** (aka:** Sharon**) gives me honest thoughts from a reader's P.O.V..

I love these ladies. They are the best.

This is STILL suspense/horror. It'll never change.

* * *

**X****V**

**CINDERBELLA**

I found solace in routines, those fragments of time offered to me so I'd keep my head and not float aimlessly through thoughts which I need not wonder. There were many antiques to dust, plenty of floors to mop and endless silver to polish. I never completed anything within a solitary day. It took a couple to complete one room, and while they turned their heads at my work, not believing any of it to be worth spit (even though it was the cleanest it'd been in a long time), I kept a map locked away in my head.

I knew where the hallways led now, and the shortcuts to take if I wanted to get somewhere quickly. They were unaware of my knowledge. They viewed me as simple and lowly, and I had no intention of correcting their skewed perception. I kept my mouth shut unless spoken to, and even then, I didn't offer a harsh word. I didn't want them to expect anything from me unless it be obedience. My time to escape would be soon. All I needed was the key to unlock my freedom, everything else was technical.

All the vampires who roamed these halls had the key to that freedom — a skeleton key, but I had yet to figure out how to get hold of one.

I observed the creatures of the house come and go from their rooms, and others I'd never seen before glide through the front doors. Some wore fitted suits with ties, their hair tidy and gelled with such refinement I imagined they were the CEO of some big-name company. Then I thought how appropriate it would be for a vampire to suck the life out of a business.

These new faces would stay for a long time, sometimes up to twenty minutes. They'd leave smiling with black bottles in hand, giving a small glance at me, the human girl staring at them with curiosity. While those vampires were interesting, the more fascinating (and frightening) were their opposites, those who didn't have an appealing nature.

Instead of smooth skin, they appeared rough and sand-like. Their hair was not tidy and their eyes were sunken, the width black as night as though they didn't have eyes at all, just holes. They had a twitch about them when they walked. Their clothes weren't nice or fitted like the others. The sleeves of their shirts were too long, concealing the pallor of their fingers, and the long, frayed ends of their jeans looked as though they'd been torn across the ground for years. Guards would allow them to enter the front doors of the house. The shaky vampires would disappear down the hall, and a few minutes later, they'd exit, stroking their black bottle. They never noticed me, never even looked up from that concealed bag of blood they carried as they tried to open it before reaching the front door.

I knew those dirty faces as Junkies after Jasper explained one night. Just as humans, vampires had to earn a living if they wanted a chance to be in a stable location, to blend and take part in what the current age had to offer. They posed as humans, and like us paid rent, car payments, utility bills. And also like us, they suffered financially, and good, filling blood didn't come cheap. Homeless creatures of the night didn't do so well. The poor were deprived of blood to the brink of starvation, and sometimes temptation became too much to handle, and they drank from humans outside of the house.

"Why is that a big deal?" I asked him. "You're vampires, isn't it all the same?"

He looked up from his book. He always read while I cleaned. "It's the law. We obey the law, unless, of course, we want to die or worse."

I wanted to laugh. They were already dead, but still I wondered... "What's worse than death?"

"Starvation. Madness. Desperate vampires are dangerous, crazy with blood lust and they'll do just about anything to get a fix."

"Why can't you drink from an outside human?"

"It's complicated," his red eyes flicked up from under his golden hair very briefly before returning to his book, "and you don't need to know."

I sighed and reached for the glass of water on the hall table, moving my tongue against the familiar chalky feeling clinging to my mouth. I knew it was the vitamins used to replenish my blood, and I needed all I could get since Aro had already begun to cash in on his part of the bargain I struck with him. I'd been in that sterilized room more times than I cared to count, but Jasper was always by my side cooling my anxiety. And even though the energy between the two of us remained easy, I always felt slightly on edge, like I walked a thin line of acceptance.

"He's still gone, you know," he said after a few moments of extended silence.

I looked up from the hall floor, but didn't stop pushing the wet mop in front of me. "Who?"

"Edward. He's still gone. No trace of him anywhere so I've heard from the enforcers. They've been out looking for him since he left."

"Why are you telling me this?"

A small dimple appeared on his cheek when his lips stretched into a grin. "I just thought you'd like to know, considering you were his favorite."

"He wasn't mine," I said. "And as long as he's gone, this place is better." It would never be _better_, but it didn't seem as heavy. When he was here, I could feel his mind everywhere, like some real-life Professor X. I _knew_ he watched me through the eyes of others.

Jasper's smile grew a little, and I was reminded me of the company I kept with a flash of his teeth. Still, I preferred him over the others. "I couldn't agree with you more," he said. By that statement, I knew my assessment of him was right.

I grinned a little, too.

* * *

The rest is coming.


	16. A Pale Slumber

Thank you, Livie79 and Niko0921!

And thank YOU for the outstanding reviews and support. It means a lot.

**XVI**

**A ****PALE ****SLUMBER**

I graduated from polishing and mopping to folding. I hated laundry. I didn't even enjoy doing my own, much less other's. Jasper said it was because I'd done such a good job with the other things.

The second day of my "promotion", I started feeling delicate and crampy, and was mysteriously shoved into rooms by myself while Jasper monitored me from outside of them. He'd placed a chair in front of the door so he could sit, and proceeded to open it every few minutes to peek inside. As soon as I glanced at him, he would retreat as if he were a cockroach caught in sudden light.

I was told to stay away from the front entrance, where Aro's customers came in and out. No chores needed to be done up there that week. I put two and two together. With their heightened sense of smell, I would be too strong for them to ignore I supposed, and it felt icky to think about it. I shuddered at the animalistic nature.

Not long ago I stood in the laundry room with the other girls as we folded towels and gowns together. The space seemed much smaller then, and now that I stood alone it was larger. The walls were high, the narrow window at the ceiling even further away, revealing a rare day. Gray clouds were in place of the blue and white I longed to see pass overhead, and rain beat on the glass. The outside world had found a way to penetrate the prison, and every once in awhile thunder boomed and shook the very foundation of the house. The sounds reminded me of home, and Dad.

I held the tears away as I stared out the window, wondering what would happen if I were to try to escape through it while Jasper wasn't looking. I stopped just as quickly as I started. It was no use to exert such thoughts if they ended in failure because I would fail that escape.

Instead, I recited a poem out loud to distract and keep my wits because thinking of an escape, and knowing freedom was through a single brick wall, drove me crazy.

In my periphery, the door opened and Jasper's head appeared behind the slab for only a moment before sliding away. I didn't even bother looking that time.

With his instruction, I loaded the folded towels onto a multi-shelved, heavy plastic cart. He stood from the chair, his skin more pallid, his eyes on the cusp of changing from dark red to black. It had been several days since he drank, I figured. I pictured him in the dungeon, withering away into those starving creatures that passed through the front doors a few days ago. It would be his fate if Aro found out about his feelings for Alice. I understood that completely now, understood what he'd turn into. More important were his concerns for her.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, placing my hand upon the soft, still-warm pile of towels.

"Deliveries," he said, his nostrils flaring. He frowned then his lip twitched. I wanted to hide behind another door, embarrassed. My scent bothered him.

We used the elevator, going to the third floor first to drop off half the towels in the bathroom all the girls shared, then back to the second floor, where most of the vampires resided when they weren't roaming the halls or keeping schedules.

I knocked on the doors Jasper told me to, handing over the white, folded towels when the vampires answered. They didn't say anything, simply looked at me funny. Their noses twitched and they shut the door in my face.

"You're welcome," I'd say under my breath.

We came upon the only double-door entrance on the floor: Edward's room. As we passed, I grew curious about the possessions within. Would the piano see any chords again, or would the spines of the books be stroked? Jasper thought Edward was trying to prove a point: that Aro would regret his decision in allowing me to wander free. Without Edward, no one knew when the girls were coming out of hypnosis. The remaining vampire occupants had been left to guess, and it caused problems, disturbances within the rooms. Jasper said Edward's antics were the main talk of the dinner table. Enforcers still searched night and day with no trace of him, or his car.

There'd been less vampires around the house because of it; another good result to come of Edward's leaving.

A few doors down, a sign hung from a door knob. DO NOT DISTURB.

"But the sign," I said as Jasper pulled the dark silver key from his pocket and twisted the lock.

"Felix is resting, but that doesn't mean you can't leave them in the bathroom. Just be quiet." He shoved four towels into my chest.

"You expect me to go in there? He doesn't like me. If I wake him up he'll..."

"Kill you?"

"No. I was going to say 'be upset'."

He motioned his chin in the direction of the door. "You'll be fine. I wouldn't put you in direct danger."

"Just indirect?" I hugged the towels close to my chest, shielding my heartbeat from the open dark where a vampire slept. Why did they need to sleep anyway? It's not like they really needed it. I glanced back, hoping to catch Jasper's eyes, but he had already moved away and out of my sight.

There were no windows in that room, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but with the hall light to guide me I managed to step through the darkness. The layout wasn't much different from the other rooms. I knew the bathroom would be on the right and I tried not to think about the vampire feet from where I tip-toed. The temptation to look over my shoulder after I crept by his bed was too great. I expected to see him towering over me, his great form eclipsing the only light allowed into the space, but no. He still slumbered.

I passed a dresser with a mirror, catching my form, almost ghost-like as my white gown stirred the black. I began to step into the lightless void just beyond a door frame, but a gleam on top of a desk next to the opening caught my eye. At first, I thought nothing of it. It was just a shiny object on top of neatly stacked papers, catching the faint glow behind me, but then I realized what took form in the dark. A beacon of temptation and my heart fluttered and my breaths became shallow as the butterflies filled my stomach.

Keys.

It was almost too perfect an opportunity to reach out and grab them, but I knew as soon as I did, I'd be caught. But how often would I receive a chance to take what I sought after?

I looked back at the hall. Jasper was nowhere to be seen and Felix was still motionless and without sound. I filled my lungs to the brink with musty air and pressed the towels into my chest with splayed fingers and a tense arm, my heart fluttering and disappearing at the same moment. I reached. The cold metal slid between my fingers. I lifted. They jingled together like a soft windchyme which made me pause. My chest tightened. Panic. For that entire three seconds of non-movement, I thought I was making a mistake.

But when Felix didn't stir, and Jasper didn't poke his head in, I progressed and gripped them so tightly in my palm I thought I would bleed from the serrated teeth. I stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me then turned the dim lights on. I celebrated with heavy breaths and a smile as I set the towels on the counter.

I stared at my closed palm, feeling my skin beginning to sweat around the metal. Then, I thought about how I would carry the key. I had no pockets, no shoes, bra or underwear... _wait__._ For the first time ever, I was thankful for my monthly.

Panic began to seize my chest. I took a few breaths to calm myself as I separated the familiar dark-silver key from the others then removed it from the ring. Once free I tucked it the cold metal into my mesh underwear between my pad and my skin, moving about for a few seconds till I was sure it would stay while I finished my chores.

I rinsed my hands before flicking off the light to the bathroom. I opened the door, still cautious about Felix across the room and Jasper in the hall, but my breath caught in my chest when Jasper was there, waiting for me on the other side. I concealed the keys in my palm and moved it behind my back, inconspicuously, or I'd hoped.

"You scared me," I whispered.

"What's taking so long?" He wasn't as cautious with his voice as me and spoke in full volume.

What was taking so long? Yeah, Bella, what _was_ taking so long? "I... couldn't see anything."

He squinted, and I thought for sure I was caught. "Maybe you shouldn't leave the light off and close the door, then." He turned from me and stepped to the hall door. I glanced at Felix still sleeping, and stared at Jasper's back as he moved further and further away. I unfolded the keys from my hand back to the paper with minimal noise and quickly made my way out the door, where it was closed and locked behind me with the same type of key pressing into my sensitive skin. I wanted to smile at the power I held without his knowledge.

I gripped the handles of the cart and began to push once more.

"Next time," Jasper said, "don't worry about waking them if they're resting." He paused and looked down at me as we walked together. "They sleep like the dead."

He grinned.

**: . . . . . . : . . . . . . : **

I finished my chores the same time I did every night, just after dinner, and as always, Jasper made sure they left a plate for me. I ate and drank alone, my warden never more than several feet away. Afterward, I joined my roommates in our room and waited for them to drift off to sleep before producing my greatest achievement since I'd been captured. I didn't want them to see it because I didn't know if they would say anything, either by accident or not. Better safe than sorry.

I rinsed it off under the bathroom sink and changed my mesh and pad before returning to the the bedroom. I sat on the bed and stared at the object in my palm; a small thing which carried such great meaning.

I pulled the nightstand drawer open next to me and slipped the key under and onto thin plywood hull below. It would rest there, never to be found until I was ready to use it at the opportune moment. For a few minutes, I contemplated on unlocking the door and slipping easily into the dark of the night. Only, it wouldn't be easy. I didn't know their movements after we were all locked away. I would be clueless at that time of night, moving through those halls and I only had one shot. I had to make my escape count, just like Dad told me to do.


	17. The Princess and the Key

Thanks, Livie79 and Niko0921! You help me sooo much.

Also, I enjoy reading all of y'alls thoughts on the story, so thank you if you've left them. They're not required, but you do it anyway and I'm forever happy and grateful you've taken any kind of interest in The House.

* * *

**XVII**

**THE PRINCESS AND THE KEY**

For three more days and nights I waited while my flow waned. I carried on as if nothing had changed, and held my bargain with Aro, throwing myself into whatever I could, and hoped to be inspired to develop a plan.

My attempt would have to be perfect, all possible outcomes considered. I had one measly chance. It almost made me sick to think about it. So sick, in fact, I was almost afraid to try. If I were caught attempting to sneak out, I'd surely die. There'd be no leniency or second chances. I'd be disposed of and all my efforts would be in vain.

Until then, I'd continue with routines.

I'd just finished for the day, leaning over the bathroom sink to brush my teeth when I heard our door open and voices began to boom inside our four-walled piece of Hell. I trembled, my stomach flitting inside my cavity. I was logical, and knew they were there for one of two reasons: they were pulling a girl out of the room, but it was late and they never did this loudly; or they knew what I'd done.

Opening the door, I saw there were three of them. Demetri, Felix and a nameless face. They yanked sheets, opened the closet door and pulled apart pillows until they saw me. Then, it was Felix who stepped toward me with quick, heavy strides and put his face in mine. His voice was loud and his breath smelled of copper. He stuck his nose next to my face and inhaled.

"You stink of death."

"I'd thought you'd be used to that by now," I said through gritted teeth.

And he growled in response. "Where is it?"

I couldn't breathe, not with the stink of blood floating from him. My heart pounded from fear as I fought to keep the room from spinning. The only way to calm my nerves was to breathe. I held off long as I could. I had to lie. "I... I don't know what you mean."

He grabbed the back of my head, gripping into my hair and pulling me to his side. His solid body hit mine. My eyes squeezed closed for a second, my fingers clenched his, the cool skin repulsed me, made me angry and afraid, but still I held together through the pain. "Where is my key?!" he screamed.

I wanted to fight, struggle, push away, but I allowed myself a breath. "What key?!"

The girls huddled together in a corner, and they became blurry through the veil of tears I was unable to quell. "The one you stole from me, the one you're hiding. I know you have it! Your putrid smell still lingers in my room," he said.

"Your room is the last place I'd ever want to be! I wouldn't go in there for anything!" But I had, and he knew. I hissed under his grip. His fingers were like teeth in my hair, ratcheting and never giving up. I remembered when I'd first met him. He greeted me when I arrived here. His hands were gentle as they took mine, but now I groaned and shifted under them.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" Felix said.

Feathers billowed into the air then snowflaked down. Demetri demolished our surroundings to the point of it being unrecognizable. He continued to rip through and terrorize the mattress, flipping it off the box spring. Pillows and sheets wrapped and tangled around each other. He tore the vent covering from the wall, creating a terrible noise I'm sure could be heard several rooms away. He was being thorough and because of this, not so much the terrible pain Felix inflicted, I felt I would crumble to the floor if given the chance. I could only pray they didn't find what they were looking for.

Demetri's hand brushed the nightstand. He picked up the lamp and allowed it to fall from his grasp when he realized nothing was under the base. It hit the floor, the shade lopsided and the light flickering from impact. For a brief moment, I thought of hiding it there. I'm glad I didn't, but, I couldn't describe the way my nerves crept along my back, the adrenaline causing my skin to heat when he reached for the drawer and pulled it out.

He found nothing, of course, and I thought that would be the end of it until he ripped it from it's fitted home and revealed it's metal track and base. I moved under Felix's grip, fighting him, struggling to get away and conceal the small thing hidden there. By then, it was too late. Demetri reached in and plucked the key from its no-longer-safe spot and held it between his pale fingers. It's dark silver sheen reflected in the surviving lamps around the room.

"Well, well," Felix said as I began to end my struggle against him. "Look what we have here. You're in trouble now." I heard the smile in his voice, the satisfaction of knowing my inescapable fate would come sooner than later, I imagined. It wasn't a secret Felix didn't care for me. I'd heard so by Jasper. Felix hated I wasn't like the others, that I wasn't a square peg fitting into their square holes. A big creature like him enjoyed power over everything, and as long as I roamed the halls he couldn't control me.

He pushed me away and I nearly stumbled over the short-lived freedom before being taken up by Demetri.

Felix fought a smirk, but lost. "Take her to Aro. Show him the key, and let him know where we found it."

I pushed against the restraining grip on my elbow, but he tucked me into his side and guided me forward down the halls until we finally reached Aro's large chamber doors. He knocked twice then opened it, pulling me in after him.

Aro stood in front of the fireplace, his black robe hanging from his shoulders and arms like thick sheets of oil, his pale complexion hidden under the flickering orange glow which spread across his person. His room remained empty, like him.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked

"Master, we—"

"Not you," he interrupted Demetri, turning his head to finally look at us. "Her?"

Me?

"Did you find what you were looking for? Did you find your freedom?"

I said nothing.

Aro held out his hand. It wasn't for me, but I was shoved forward as Demetri placed the skeleton key into Aro's open palm.

"That will be all, Demetri." He waved him away.

The door closed behind him as Aro ticked a finger at me, back and forth. "Shame. Shame. Shame." He lowered his hand, glancing at the object in his possession. "I've come to expect more from you, Isabella. You've disappointed me."

Again, I said nothing and kept my arms tight by my side as we fell into a staring match. Neither of us moved or spoke, only concentrating on the realization of what I'd done, what I ultimately planned to do with the stolen key. I crossed my arms and turned my head away from him. I had many things I could've said: I'm sorry I got caught; don't think I won't be trying again; go to Hell. None of them appropriate.

"When I allowed you to roam my halls, have your freedom, I thought I would be able to trust you even though someone told me it was a big mistake." His expression stiffened, a sneer beginning to take form on his lips. "And now you've made a fool of my judgement. It will be the last time."

My body vibrated. Heat curled under my skin and shook my nerves. My time had come to die, and I was sure he saw the change in my eyes. I felt it within, felt myself shift on my feet, but didn't feel as though I touched the ground.

He flicked his robe back as he took a step toward me. "What do you have to say for yourself? Anything? Or do you prefer to remain as silent as your mind?"

I chose the second.

"It doesn't matter anymore, and its unfortunate to say. I was hoping you would bring this institution to its feet again. I've barely received any of your blood, a few bags at most, but there are ways of getting more out of you. More money, a way to stabilize this institution."

He made a full circle around me while spoke, his fingers combing through the end strands of my hair. "And fortunately, we have a place for humans such as yourself while we make the proper arrangements. It's proven effective against the unruly beasts who cause nothing but trouble. Will you walk with me, or do you require a leash?"

"Where are we going?"

"A place where you can rest." He gave a grin, a grin that said I could trust him if I was a fool.

I took a step back. "I don't think I want to go."

"You have no choice, no further ways to bargain or manipulate your way out of fate. You can walk yourself, or I will have you carried. Either way gets you there."

I looked over the room, the bare room with hardly any belongings at all. There would be nothing to slow him down if I made for the window, nothing to keep me safe from him. I would further draw his anger. Then, there was the door to the hall. It would be an easy passage if I walked with him, but I would walk into the unknown. Like death, I feared the unknown, the same unknown I faced every day while here.

"When you say 'rest', do you mean 'die'?" I asked with a slight tremble.

"If you're dead, how would I get my money?" He motioned for me to go ahead of him, and after a moment of thought, I did. I had to remain strong, positive. Aro had always been open about killing me, and even though I couldn't trust him, I knew he told the truth.

We walked further from his bedroom, Demetri leading us down the quiet first floor corridors. We walked so much further than I would have imagined. Doors led to more halls, and those halls led to more doors until we were so deep within the bones of the house the light all but disappeared.

Silence consumed us as we stood in front of a plain, white door. It was unlike anything I'd seen there. Barely legible markings popped from the white, and I couldn't make them out when first stopping, but as Demetri found the key to unlock it, I put the pieces together.

SOLITUDE.

"What is this place?" I asked, feeling my expression tighten.

"Your room," Aro said. Demetri pulled the door open. From what little glow the hall could muster, it spilled into the now-open entrance of the space, revealing the soft, white floors and walls. The shadows inside seemed to move and breathe with each passing second.

Curiosity turned to fear. "No." I moved back and into a pair of hands, pushing me forward. "No! I'm not going in there!"

"But this is your cage, my dear. A fitting hold for a wild animal such as yourself." Aro templed his fingers in front of him and gave me the same grin as before.

Demetri shoved me inside and I landed against the padded wall. The floor gave slightly under my bare feet, and I turned back just long enough to see the last light being cut off from me as Aro waved.

The door slammed and the locks turned over. The sound of their barely audible voices began to disappear.

Then, there was nothing, except darkness.


	18. The Darkest Tower

Welcome new readers. I appreciate and love that you've taken the time to read and leave me your thoughts. Reviews aren't required, of course (I don't have a lot of time to respond to them), but I always enjoy hearing what you have to say.

Sorry for the delayed update. I haven't quite been myself this past week.

* * *

**XVIII**

**THE DARKEST TOWER**

No speck of light invaded the padded prison, and I stared into the void so long I began to see patterns of color which were never there.

I understood the effects of being in the dark for too long. Not being able to see would drive me to the brink of madness. I had to find some way to keep my wits. Poems, after repeating them for weeks, bored me. Since I was alone I sang and hummed instead. Mostly Christmas songs came to mind, and I didn't know why. I guessed it was because the words were easy to remember. The songs never came out sounding right, the key or pitch, whatever it was called, was always off, but I tried for the sake of not being encased in silence.

I closed my eyes, not able to stand looking into the inky void any longer as I lay on my back. At least if I closed my eyes I could pretend I wasn't in a pitch black room. Still, I felt the emptiness, felt it against my skin as my hum echoed. I stopped and opened my eyes. In my periphery, a form, a blurred face began to move beside me, and I lashed out with my left hand, screamed and moved away until I found the corner. "Is someone there?" I asked, and hoped there was no answer or click or knock. My eyes began to sting as I tried to focus. Needle-point prickles of color darted around my vision, and when I looked to my left, movement shifted to my right. My voice filled the small space again, penetrating the bones and causing my ears to ring. "Who's there?"

I thought I knew what silence was until then, but as I sat in the corner, motionless and barely breathing, the deafening quiet after a scream twisted so violently it cause my ears to throb. I let out a shaky breath. I thought it best to search the room by touch, to make sure I was, indeed, alone. The very thought paralyzed me. I wanted to reassure myself, but what if my fingers brushed against another body, or hair, or wet. The exact opposite of what I wanted to find, which was nothing. No. I sat still after wedging my back into the corner. I couldn't allow my mind to run rampant with thoughts of beasts, or I'd begin to imagine horrid-looking creatures with four legs and snarling fangs, worse than the ones holding me captive. I continued to hum for the sake of hearing something. Again, I closed my eyes, hoping to forget where I was.

"Bella." The muffled voice startled me, and I became still, wide-eyed and barely able to inhale. Had it come from inside the room?

A sliver of light bloomed in the dark near the white floor. Denim-covered knees appeared, then half of Jasper's face.

I glanced around the room, scanning deep into the shadowy crevices where something could hide then I crawled to the opening after determining no creature would lash out. I winced at the small light, meeting his face when I lay on the padding. My body flushed against the wall. "I think there's something in here with me," I whispered, wanting to curl into the light and forget the dark.

"No," he said. "There's nothing there except your imagination."

Solitude.

"I have to get out of here. I don't know how much longer I can stand this."

"If you try anything else they'll kill you. Aro's been speaking of nothing else." He slid a tray into view, then through the slot. Vegetable soup ‒ no doubt made with beef broth ‒ in a plastic bowl, bread and a Styrofoam cup of vitamin-rich water. No matter. I was starving. "Lunch," he said as I took it from him.

I brought the tray in front of me, and took a bite of the bread then a sip of the water while still on my stomach. "What were you thinking?" Jasper asked as I spooned lukewarm soup into my mouth. "Do you realize what you've done?"

"I did what I had to do," I said after swallowing.

"Did being caught even cross your mind?"

"Every single second. It's all I thought about."

"Then why did you do it? You not only put yourself in danger, but you put me on the chopping block as well! Aro looked into my mind. He questioned our interactions! He seems to think I'm helping you escape!"

I stopped eating, moved the tray slightly to scoot closer to the opening, looking him directly in the eyes. "Put yourself in my shoes! What would you've done if freedom was inches away? Would you've passed it up, knowing it was probably the only chance?!"

"You have to resign your fate, Bella! You're never escaping, no matter how much you believe you'll walk through those doors. Enough is enough!"

"And you expect me to forget my life waiting for me on the outside?!"

"Yes! Forget everything and remain silent! You don't have the slightest clue how close you are to knocking on Death's door. Do what is asked of you and you might be able to survive for another few weeks!"

I couldn't argue with him anymore. Our whisper screaming match did nothing for my nerves. I couldn't even eat. I took another sip of water then pushed the tray through the slot. "I didn't say anything, by the way," he said. "I'm not the one who put you in there."

A resigned breath filled my lungs. "I know. Felix said he could smell me when he woke." I had horrible memories of that night. My interaction with Felix put me on edge, and Aro's words made it worse. He'd stuck me in the padded room to hold me until he figured out what would be done about my situation. "Aro said he had other ways of getting money from me. What will he do?"

"Sell you, maybe."

That shocked me. "Sell me? What do you mean? Like, I'll go to another place like this?"

"A private sale. Aro has several big money clients who will jump at an offer like this, to possess a woman of their very own from dusk 'til dawn."

Every emotion collected in my throat. "When will it be decided?"

The tip of his index finger curled around the lip of the wooden tray and he pushed it aside. "I don't know." He allowed the slot door to close, but I pushed it back open.

He'd already risen from the floor, holding my uneaten lunch in his hands. "Hey, Jasper?"

"Yes?"

"How's Alice?" Talking about her should get him to stay for a few more minutes. I wasn't ready to be left alone.

"She's fine." Again, he began to walk away, those boots forever echoing under his dark jeans.

"Hey," I called to him, and this time when he turned, I could see his entire body. "Will you come back?"

"I don't know," he said. Nothing could hold his attention.

"Jasper?"

That time he said nothing, but his eyes met mine. "I have to use the bathroom."

"I'll send someone to take you. I have to get back."

I lay on that floor with the tiny door pushed up and watched him walk away. Alone again. Solitude.

I never looked back into the dark once I learned of the door slot. I kept an eye on the empty hall, telling myself any moment they'd appear around the corner and release me from the cage. And it was random thoughts which led me to the conclusion which I'd never seen before, never bothered to put together, or ignored.

This place wasn't a manor, or a house. Of course, it was made to look like one, so it's intention, it's purpose, seemed less sinister. The large, uncomfortable kitchen, the commercial-like size of the laundry room, the dining hall, the many rooms which the women slept, a clean extraction room with all the toys, and the elevator, made me believe it was once a hospital or an asylum. And with every asylum, there was a morgue.

My padded cell housed people far more gone than me, so out of hope and out of mind, I became more determined to not be driven mad by thoughts of death or vampires.

I'd lasted through bathroom breaks, a breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'd done sit-ups and push-ups in the dark next to the door, peeking out every few minutes and stared at an empty hall. I'd hummed tunes and recited movie lines until I could no longer hold my eyes open.

I startled awake, the remnants of a loud bang echoing through the cell and down the hall. I moved away from the door, knowing that's where it came from. It opened and Jasper was there. "You made bail," he said. His clothes were different than before. He'd put on a dinner jacket and black slacks.

I rose from the floor, blocking the glorious hall lights from my heavy eyes as I advanced to the exit. "And what's to be done with me?"

"What I thought he would do. You've been sold 'til dawn."

Sold.

"You'll need a shower," he said when we were down the hall.

I tucked my arms against my chest. I'm sure I smelled awful, but my stink was the least of my worries. All I could think about was what would happen, and who I would be settled with until morning. "Who is it?" I asked as I followed him down the hall.

"A scriptwriter from Hollywood, a very old client of Aro's. You have nothing to worry about. Play your part for tonight and you'll get to live to keep supplying Aro's greed for a little longer."

"What will he do with me?"

Jasper opened the door to the bathroom, allowing me to enter first. "Whatever he wants. A high-paying customer is allowed many things." We weaved through the short passages until we reached the dark, open showers. I felt sick to my stomach as I pulled off my gown and stepped under the warm stream. That time it had nothing to do with modesty. I wanted to faint, or fade away like the water running along the tile to the drain.

"You don't have a lot of time." The declaration echoed through the room, and through my head.

The water hit my scalp, and I shook, but not from the cold. Drops clung to my lips, not wanting to fall to my feet. "I can't," I said. "I can't do this."

The chair slid against the floor, and in my periphery he came into view, nearly a foot from me. "Did you understand what I said earlier? This is what happens when you do foolish things. These are the consequences you must suffer. You have no choice."

My eyes burned from the heavy shield of water. "Isn't there something you can do?"

"What would you have me do more than I already have? I convinced Aro to let you live, convinced him of the money you could make him if he kept you alive for another few weeks."

"Remember what we talked about before, you and Alice, how she doesn't belong here because she's sick? I don't belong here either. My mind is proof. We can help each other get out."

"None of us belong here, Bella. I should be an old man lying in the ground next to my wife." Drops bounced off me and splashed onto his face. "The world is a series of mistakes. _None__of__us__should__be__here_, but we are, and it is what it is. I can't help you anymore than I can help myself, or Alice. I can't."

My face and tears were hotter than the stream beating on the top of my head. "You were my only hope," I whispered.

"I don't know what that means." He paused, leaning in closer. The warm, moist air amplified his clove scent. "I can't even offer myself hope. Even after you're gone, you'll remain here. Your history will be remembered. It will become the example of why we do what we do. This place, this coven, is forever. No soul passes un-shuddered through these halls. Not even mine." His voice was gentle, his appearance more human, and his nature became softer, his words more rounded and less sharp. And his eyes... they had softened too in that dim light. "Bathe well. Aro wants you to look your best when you're presented."

"I don't care what he wants," I said. But, I did care. I cared enough to wash my hair twice. I cared enough to do it quickly, and was done within minutes. This time, I didn't linger. I wanted it over and done with, the punishment for my crime. Like ripping off a Band-aid.

A dress had been chosen for me, a red satin gown too small for my hips, but I managed to squeeze in once I dried off with a prayer and clench. My hair was curled, my face left bare and I was escorted by Jasper to the stairs which led to the foyer. At the bottom, Aro waited for us, along with a clean-cut man.

"Ah, here she is now," Aro said and turned, taking my hand when I was on the last step. My shoes clanked against the tile floor. The last time I wore heels I was sitting next to Edward at the dining table. "This is Isabella Swan, my golden goose." He smiled proudly. To him, I was a possession to be shown off. "I told you she was worth twenty."

"And I only paid ten," the man said. He looked like Rhett Butler with his stupid mustache and his stupid, gelled-back, black hair. His suit was black and perfectly pressed. The epitome of what I imagined forty's gangsters to look like.

His disgusting, cool, stiff hand snatched mine. If I were to compare, I would say Aro almost felt warmer. He smiled, causing the apples of his cheeks to round on his face. It appeared he'd applied blush to give himself a more pink complexion, like what an undertaker would do to a corpse. It didn't work. Instead, the burst of pink appeared odd against his pale skin and bright, red eyes. By the color, I could tell he was well-fed.

When he brought me closer to his body, my first instinct was to put distance between us, but I didn't. He cupped his other hand over mine, bringing my knuckles under his nose, and filling his lungs with my scent, as the other vampires had done before. "I'm Royce King," he said with a wicked perk of his lips, "and it's a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan."


	19. Sold to the King

**Warning: I usually do one of these per story, but I feel I should give you a heads up for this chapter. If you have triggers, then tread with caution, please. As stated before, Bella will not be the victim of rape, but that doesn't mean it won't get ugly or uncomfortable.**

I don't have a forum or anything to discuss my fics on, but if you want to talk to me about something then you can find me on Twitter (the link is on my profile).  
I apologize for mistakes you encounter. I'm nowhere near the vicinity of perfect.  
Huge thanks to **Livie79**, the angst-loving author of many great stories, including Glycerine, her current work in progress. You should check it out. **Niko0921/Shamatt** is a wonderful, wonderful lady. She gives me insight from a reader's POV. I'm very grateful for these two.

I'm also thankful to you. I can't tell you that enough.

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**XIX**

**Sold to the King**

His grip never weakened as he pulled me to his side. He was much taller than me, a good foot over my frame. Cologne stung my nostrils and had to turn my head away from him just to breathe without gagging.

Jasper, half-way up the staircase, looked back only once before disappearing on the landing. He must've taken the pounding in my chest with him because I no longer felt my heart. Nothing remained inside me after he spoke to me in the shower. Before, tinsels of hope helped me fight, helped me believe, but the shine left. "Everything is in order, then, Lord Aro?" Royce asked.

"Of course." Aro clapped his hands together. His tone was extraordinarily cheerful, the way it had been when I first arrived. A facade for his guests. However, I knew his real temperament, his disturbing nature through our conflicts and the few instances when Jasper's tongue slipped farther than he wanted. If I'd only known before I struck a deal with him. I misjudged him. "We've prepared the suite just how you like it. And if there's anything you need, anything at all, then please don't hesitate to ask."

"I'm sure everything will be to my liking, it usually is." Royce squeezed my hand a little tighter. We walked through the second story halls alone. He seemed quite capable of finding the room, and I assumed he passed through them several times before because no one would be able to decipher that maze without having prior knowledge of it.

He kept me locked at his side and his nose would ghost over the top of my head, tickling the strands of hair when he disturbed them. He inhaled and each time he did, he would hold the air inside his chest for several moments. A chill fingered its way from my shoulders to my hips.

While he freely enjoyed my scent, I became increasingly disgusted from his. Even without breathing, the claws of the odor clug to my nostrils until it found its way to the back of my throat. When I swallowed, I could taste the bitterness. Then, I noticed something else there, too. A stink more faint than his cheap cologne, but no doubt the reason why he had bathed in the concoction. Royce King smelled of putrid, rotting flesh.

When we reached the room, he pulled a key from his pocket. Inside, it was overdone and underlit. Gold sheets were wrapped over the bed and gold, flower-pattern paper hung just above the white, horizontal molding connecting all four walls. A crystal chandelier hung low from the center of the room, but provided scarce light. Even though the gold trim made the space appear luxurious and well-cared for, it changed when I looked closer. The wallpaper had chipped away and peeled in some areas, the corners of the ceiling had dark rings stretching into the center of the room. No matter the attempt, they would would never mask the old and brown. Rotting bones would never be disguised as anything else, no matter how elaborately adorned. The only beauty would be from the window in the far corner, but even that had been covered with dingy drapes.

Royce closed the incredibly thick, heavy-looking door. The key plummeted into the hole and the echo of the locks turning over dissipated quickly. His intense stare found me again. I had already stepped away from him. "I've been told you bring great burden to Aro," he said, slipping off his black, formal jacket and I caught another whiff of his cologne as he slung it over the stiff, white chair next to me.

He took a step, and I took one as well, away from him. I thought he meant to reach for me, but instead he picked up a silver plate on the table next to the chair and held it out. "Strawberry?"

I didn't know what to expect. The uncomfortable air was thick and silenced me. I gave a timid shake of my head.

He smiled, displaying the for-sure sign he wasn't human. "He said nothing of you being shy, though."

"Shy people don't cause trouble," I said, and began to feel the cold of the room soak into my core.

He set the plate on the table. "So, you're not shy?"

I didn't respond, but he knew the answer. He slid his thumbs under his black suspenders and pulled them from his shoulders. "I'm glad to hear it. Quite frankly, Miss Swan, I've never cared for limp fish." The straps dangled at his side, and I felt my entire body begin to tense and tremble from adrenaline, nerves or the cold. "Most of the meat in this house is just that. You can imagine my excitement when I heard about you."

"What were you promised from me?" I asked.

"Deals with Aro are never made in stone. Because I'm a loyal customer, and because I'm rich"—his mustache twitched—"I can do what I like. I simply pay for the damages afterward."

Damages. "I'm sure Aro would be upset if you hurt me," I said, and wanted to laugh to reassure myself. Surely, Aro didn't intend for him to hurt me, especially since he took me from Edward when he couldn't control himself. I meant something to Aro. I could bring him money, Jasper said, but he'd also mentioned Aro thought frequently of my death.

His fingers touched the top buttons of his cream shirt, and he pushed them through the tiny openings, revealing dark hair spilling from beneath a white undershirt.

"The gracious Lord brought your death to the table of offers. If I am to kill you, and it has yet to be determined, then I am to pay him for his loss."

My stomach twisted. He continued to unbutton his dress shirt until he reached the bottom, then he pulled the tucked-in tails from his black pants. A wide, gold chain around his neck caught the light, and my trembling became more obvious, as did his intent.

My back shuddered. I wanted to curl inward, and began to, but straightened then collapsed then straightened again. I had to keep my composure, but the air in my lungs left and entered with such force I felt I would faint. My forearm bumped into the dresser behind me as I continued to back away, putting as much distance between us as I could. Movement to the left distracted me, and I glanced at the mirror attached to the dresser. I barely recognized the hollow face staring back.. My hair didn't have a sheen in the candlelight and my eyes were dull. I'd become like the other girls, like Rosalie and her lifeless hair, or Alice and her dark, flat eyes; signs of malnutrition, poor care and hopelessness.

Royce appeared, his body resting behind mine. He gave a reflection where there was supposed to be none. Another myth come and gone. "You're trembling, dear girl," he whispered into my ear and I coughed, choked on an exhale with panic and revulsion. He looked down and leaned in closer to my shoulder, touching his lips to my skin, his hands resting on my hips. I cringed and pulled away, closer to the corner of the room, closer to the head of the bed and nightstand. Trapped.

"Don't touch me!" I sneered, feeling more repulsed than I ever thought I could. Even with the distance I'd put between us, my stomach still twisted because nothing would stop him from advancing if he wanted.

"You should say _please_," he said, his smile appearing once more, and he began to trace my steps. I could feel teeth on my neck, cold breath snaking across my skin as fog would across the ground on a damp morning. Those things would come if he were to step closer. There was enough space between us, just enough to roll across the bed before he could reach for me, but his arms shot out and caught me before I made a move. His hard palms pressed into my shoulders, pushing me inward and holding me tight.

My throat clenched around the scream spilling from my insides. "No!" My throat was instantly hoarse, scratchy and wounded. I fought the vice-like push of his hands, and this caused him to grunt and growl, but not in frustration. He smiled. I felt the burst of tears.

"Now, now," he said over my gasps and objections. "Do what Mr. King asks of you and I won't have to give Aro all my money!"

A cool wave of rot coated my face, causing me to stop breathing instantly. I turned my cheek to him then I pushed away, enough to deliver a swift knee to his crotch. He released me and as soon as I was free I rolled over the bed to the other side. He cupped himself, eyes wide and mouth open with shock or pain.

I scuffled to the window, fighting the heels from my feet. My eyes burned with tears, my cheeks cold from the trail they left on my skin. The pane was warm to the touch when my palms flattened against it. It had the same type of bronze latch in Aro's room. I'd studied it well the night we struck a bargain and I knew exactly how to manipulate it. My fingers had just begun to unbuckle the tight metal from it's place when I felt the pull on the back of my head.

"You whore!"

Fingers twisted into my hair and pulled me back from my escape, but sent me crashing right back into it. The sound was the first thing I heard; the slight shatter of glass, the way a rock would chip a thick pane. Then the intense throbbing and knife-twisting agony on my skull, my forehead. Once more. The sound louder that time, resembling more of a break.

My vision blurred, and I wanted to reach up and cover the open wound. A voice coated my mind. _Don__'__t __touch __it__. _My head lulled back with the tight grip as a trickle inched down the center of my face.

Cold embraced the back of my body, and I found myself against the warm glass, my hands attempting to hold my weight from bearing into the cracked window.

"You think you're special, don't you?!" His voice was so loud in my ear, his weight pressing into me too hard. The hot breath from my mouth fogged the nighttime view. "I could buy and destroy a hundred of you."

Anger.

Tremble.

Cold and warm. Back and front.

Ripped away from the window, he pushed me. I reached for his hold on my hair to keep from stumbling, but he shook me free, throwing me onto the end of the bed. The golden room was a haze, a drip of dim light and sheen, and I felt I could melt into the bed, dissolve completely.

I began to push myself up from the silk and soft. My arms were jelly, and I could barely hold my weight through the pain and blur.

"A defiant little fish." Weight bore down on me, a large hand splayed between my shoulders, cold skin constant and harsh. My arms faltered, the air escaped my lungs and he crushed me. I groaned and shifted, coughed and cried as a stone-like finger traced my wet jaw.

"I have ways of making you submit," he whispered into my ear. "I have no gifts like my brothers, but..." a slight jingle caused me to freeze, to pause my useless struggle. Through the thin material of the dress, I felt a touch come and go at my waist. Combined with the jingle and the motion he performed, it didn't take long to figure out what he was undoing. "Leather has worked well in the past."

"No!" I began to scream, but his instant weight worked the air from my lungs, taking the length of the cry with it. He was too strong, crushing."No!" I panted. He would bruise me, make me bleed and ignite the fire under my skin.

His terrible weight was gone, setting my breaths free, but the cost of breathing was high. He took up my wrists and pushed them into the air. Knife-twisting agony clawed through my arms and shoulders. I screamed incoherently, my face half buried in the comforter. He bound my wrists together with his thin belt behind my back and pulled so tightly I thought it would break my skin. Tears further blurred the golden room. I pushed off the wooden floor with my toes, hoping to catch a hint of relief from the grinding, twisting pain in my flesh.

I wanted to fight so badly. I wanted to rip free from the bond and escape the room through the window. I'd fall two stories and definitely injure myself, but I didn't care. The pain from the fall would subside, would be worth the freedom. The pain _he_ would inflict would be until I died. Royce King, like all the others—regardless of how morgue-like and weak his appearance, was stronger than I could ever hope to be. I would never overcome him, never escape. The declaration became so heavy I felt I wouldn't be able to stand it.

A tear rolled onto the comforter, and the material soaked it up, forcing it to reach outward and darken until it couldn't widen any farther.

I convinced myself into believing in an idea I could never hope to achieve. I denied the truth for so very long, masked it by parading around like a powerful entity, when I wasn't any different than the other girls. My shield didn't deflect their strength.

My teeth gnashed. A hiss escaped between my lips when he leaned into me again, but slight relief came when he dropped my wrists to my lower back. He replaced pain with pressure, but didn't relieve the fear of feeling it all over again. "You want to know another thing Aro never told me?" His lips were at my ear and his overwhelming odor stung my nose. "How incredibly stunning you are."

I felt a smile on his lips, and the cold breath haunting my cheek. The end of my dress was hiked up, then stone touched the back of my knee and began to climb. I shut my eyes, squeezed them tight. I could only hope to find a happy place, then thought maybe I should react harshly so he'd kill me. If he killed me I could finally be rid of monsters.

But even in my forced darkness, I found no reprieve. His fingers crept higher on my thigh.

I would never be the same. Another tear.

_BANG__!_

"This room is occupied!" He shouted.

_BANG__!_

"I said..."

An explosion ripped into through the room, accompanied by the sound of shattering wood! I thought the walls had caved and the house had been turned to ash. Surely, I was dead. The cold stopped. The pressure disappeared, and no longer a burden on my lungs. I breathed deeply. Alive. I turned my head to the door, toward the source of the noise.

But, there wasn't a door, that much I could see through the overwhelming cry that had blurred my vision. A figure stood between the shattered frame, and through my tears it took a moment to see who darkened the doorway, but when I blinked them away, my breath stole again.

Edward.

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Will update soon. I post a teaser in the Sneak Peek campfire on A Different Forest on Mondays, if you care to check it out. Until then, have a good weekend/week!


	20. Rumpled to Stilted

I agonized over this chapter for two weeks because it had to be perfect. It started off as one thing, and ended with what it is now. Livie79 and Niko0921 gave it their stamp of approval. They're all things supportive.

Thank you for your wonderful reviews and for anyone who voted for this fic over on The Lemonade Stand for Fic of the Week. _House_ didn't win, of course, but it's wonderful to be nominated and voted for.

I apologize for any mistakes you may encounter.

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**XX**

**Rumpled to Stilted**

Edward dominated the opening, blocking the incoming light from the hall. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lines of his face, all the familiar features beginning to come with gradual assurance. One foot rested on top of the wooden remains, and a pull of his lip showed his intimidating teeth, the truest gleam from the candlelight. He began to step into the room, the wood splintering and settling below his boots. My eyes were playing tricks because he didn't quite look like himself, in fact.

His name slipped from my throat as I allowed a stifled cry to escape my lips. "Edward."

It came out as shaky and unsure as I felt, and a tear trailed traveled the short distance from my eye to the bed.

I felt Royce's body move away from and at the new distance I pushed my toes to the wood, wanting to stand.

"You have no right coming in here like this," Royce said as Edward stepped off the door. He came toward me and lifted me from the bed by the leather belt around my wrists. I nearly dissolved at the sensation of the edges cutting into my wrists, but I finally caught bearings with my feet and stood straight. My shoulders and arms were tight and achy. My tears were like glue, causing strands of hair to stick to my face, and I had no way to push them away as I stood next to him.

Royce's gelled hair had become disheveled. He pushed his palms over his head, forming the short spikes to his skull as Edward put himself between us.

"I paid for that! You have no right to it!" Royce took a step as if to challenge him, but Edward took two, slamming his hands into Royce's chest and knocking him back. His body left its impression in the wall before he crashed to the floor.

**"**How dare you?!" Royce picked himself up, pieces of brown crumbling from the hole above his head as he pressed his palm against it. He clutched his chest with the other and his mouth parted as he glared at the vampire in front of me. He pointed a finger at Edward. "You're nothing compared to me! Out there," Royce pointed at the outer wall of the room, "I would eat you alive! Who are you compared to me?"

Edward didn't respond verbally, but he stood a little straighter, then reached behind and touched my arm, tucking me farther behind him with a push of his fingertips. For once, I obliged his request, and ducked my head into his back. He smelled like dirt and city life, exhaust and mildew. Beneath his shirt, I could feel the cool of his skin, the dip of his muscles as they gave way to his spine and the curve of his shoulder blades. His anatomy was no different than any other man I'd known. There was a time when he was human.

A faint growl began to grow from across the room. "You're defying me?"

"No, consider this a warning," Edward said, his voice unusually deep and thick. "Leave here with the content of being empty-handed, and I'll spare your life."

Royce's shoes rolled against the wood.

_Step._

_Step._

_Step._

That sound sent my nerves everywhere. I expected him to reach around Edward and yank me away because he wouldn't relent. Not him.

**"**You know better than that," Royce said.

**"**Then your pride will be your undoing."

I could almost hear the smile coating his words. "As will yours."

Edward's movements were lightning when he stepped forward and pushed Royce across the room again. He turned, his hands squeezed into my side and he threw me backward into the air. My stomach soared when my feet left the ground, but turned to pain when I fell on the bed, my tangled hands beneath me. A burst of agony assaulted my shoulders and arms, causing me to cry out. A throaty eruption on my left gained my attention, and Royce was there, advancing to the bed, his eyes on me.

Edward's arm flew around his chest, holding him, barely keeping him at arm's length. Fingers thrashed inches from me. I rolled to avoid the scuffle, barely missing the dresser, but hit my knees and shins on the floor instead. Through the ache, I found my feet under the long gown and pushed myself to the shattered door. My thighs burned from the exertion, but I had to make it. I had to get away from everything! Cold fingers snared my biceps and pulled me away from the door!

"Where do you think you're going?" Royce's breathy question brushed against my ear.

Panic seized my breaths, and numbed my veins until I no longer felt anything except the push and pull of our entanglement, laced with bursts of heated adrenaline.

I twisted from his grip, falling to the hardwood. Shock reached into my mind, the impact of wood to flesh and bone sent a scream from my mouth and disconnected me from the room. Torment replaced the struggling vampires as I fought myself, fought the pain from overwhelming my mind.

I couldn't stay on the floor, the agony was too much to bear. It took all my strength to sit as Edward pulled Royce by the scruff of his hair and kicked him behind his knee, bringing him to the floor with a bone crunching fall that would have crippled a human, but it barely affected the vampire. His red eyes were on me, crazed and full of desperation, hunger and defeat. In a flash, he turned from Edward's hands and reached for me. His thin claw outstretched again, and grazed my ankle. I pulled my feet under me before Edward's arm pinched around his neck again, locking Royce to his chest.

But, it didn't matter if Edward held him. He still struggled to get away. "You're nothing," Royce managed through gnashed teeth. He tore at the forearm locked around his throat, while Edward's teeth bared into his black hair. He struggled, too. A monstrous, guttural snarl filled the room as Edward's mouth began to widen, his anger forming into a hard, carnivorous array of jagged fangs.

A creak interrupted the noise, and Royce stilled, his eyes widened and mouth O'ed. It sounded as though leather were being twisted, another creak another twist then a break.

The sickening turn of bones filled the room, and Royce gave up his struggle.  
**  
**Arms and legs became limp, and Edward backed away, his arm still tight around Royce's head, though his body slipped to the ground.  
**  
** There had never been a greater silence.  
**  
** He had decapitated him. I caught my breath. An odor began to rise through the room.  
**  
**Edward hovered above the body, the lone head in his hands. The sight and scent caused my head to spin. He looked at the shocked face of Royce, grinning slightly before hurling the skull into his raised knee. My stomach curled at the sight and sound of broken bones. With each blow his face caved a little more, flesh peeling from gray muscle, fracturing and damaging. A clear liquid began to drip from the head, and the putrid scent concentrated more and more each passing moment. I closed my eyes, and tried to breathe through my mouth, hoping and praying not to lose my stomach.  
**  
**The crunching stopped, and the only recognizable trait left of Royce King was the rotten stench. The lump slipped from Edward's fingers and splattered onto the floor. He peeled his shirt over his head and began to wipe his hands off. Even though the chandelier gave off little light, I could see the difference in his skin. He had turned the color of true stone, an ash gray and his rib bones gnarled. He'd become like the junkies that came and went from the front halls, holding their blood like crazed addicts. I stared. I couldn't help it, and when his black, empty eyes found me a breath escaped my chest because I hadn't truly seen him until that moment. The black stretched the entire width of his eye, his all-consuming hunger apparent and frightening. The strands of his hair were untamed, and seemed darker.

"You look at me as though I'm a ghost," he said, wringing his hands into his dark blue shirt, the same shirt he left in the day he disappeared. "Does something about my appearance trouble you?"

A chill and thought of escape took form, but it disappeared to the back of my head just as quickly as it came. I broke eye contact, fixating on the floor below. I couldn't bear to look at him anymore. "No," I said. The adrenaline began to wane from my shaky muscles, and as it did I felt the pain in my shoulder and the burn of the belt against my raw skin, coaxing the remains of my tears to my lids.

Edward dropped the shirt on the floor beside Royce's foul corpse "Get up," he commanded, and wrapped his rough hand around my arm, forcing me to my feet. I couldn't help the sob that escaped. "What's wrong with you?"

"My shoulder and wrists," I said, my voice groggy and throat raw with fight and tears. He turned me around, peeking behind my back and ran a finger along the skin. "Ow," I cried, losing another tear to my cheek.

His fingers began to work on my release. Second by second the leather loosened, bringing relief. "Do you see why siding with Aro was never a good idea?" he asked, his cold breath gliding down my spine.

My wrists were freed, but my shoulders and arms ached. The bones ground together on my right. I couldn't move it, couldn't bring my arm forward without wanting to scream. "Do you see?!" he yelled, throwing the belt toward the bed. The metal clanked against the wall instead and fell behind the headboard to the floor. Another loud clank. "Do you see why they can't have you?!"

His hands wound into my hair toward the back of my skull, pulling me to him. I could barely keep my balance. "Don't," I said.

Ashen skin, bones and black. "Stupid girl." His fangs were more pointed than ever before, something I wouldn't have noticed from the other junkies. I knew his teeth, knew them well in all their lengths and points. "It's not hard to figure out how you ended up with Royce King. You tried to escape, didn't you?"

My voice was small compared to his. "I stole a key."

I imagined his pupils would be back and forth between mine, fixating and obsessing, but then his attention turned to my forehead, and through the scuffle I'd forgotten about that injury and the... blood. I brought my hand between us and placed my palm over the wound. He sneered. "You need stitches."

"Stitches?"

He pressed a hand into my back, guiding me out of the room, but his motions weren't gentle. They were rough and hard, too demanding of my shaken frame. I hissed at my shoulder, wanting to fix it, wanting the pain to stop, but that meant causing more pain. I remembered the first time I dislocated it when I was a teenager. The memory of the grind and pop caused my stomach to drop. I feared the agony of it.

We walked down the halls as quickly as he could push me, ducking into corridors after he looked down them, then he opened a door I'd never been in. Dark, spiraling steps were below us. "Walk," he said, and I did with hesitation, but we finally wound to the bottom, opening up to small hallway with two doors on either side. A knock ripped through the small space as we stopped. The right door opened a moment later, and on the other side stood an unfamiliar creature. His blond hair was incredibly fair, more-so than Jasper's, and his square jaw gave to a perfect dimpled chin. He grinned at us for a moment before his red eyes settled on me.

"Edward" he said, a musical quality to his voice. "I've been expecting you."

"She needs medical treatment." Edward pushed his way through the door as the blond vampire stepped aside, allowing us to enter.

The blond chuckled. "Yes, I know."

More brown. I expected to see gray. There was an unlit fireplace parallel to us with a brown, leather couch in front of it. The walls were books, hundreds and hundreds of books on shelves, dwindling Edward's collection to mere shame. Though, this new room didn't have a bed.

"Lab is this way," he said, walking past us and all his belongings under the glow of antique lamps. He opened another door and flicked on the light just inside, revealing the white room, very much like the one Jasper cleaned me up in when I arrived. I squinted at the brightness. The only time I'd seen light so bright was when I went for extraction. Tables of chemistry glasses and tubes were at the back, cabinets of white and glass filled to the brim of vials and white boxes. A large chrome refrigerator stood tall against the right wall, then gave to more blue counter space.

"Have a seat here." The vampire patted a metal table with his fingertips.

I nodded, but didn't know I would get up there. Did I even want to? I hesitated in front of it. "I can't."

He grabbed my waist and picked me up, setting me on the metal which stung through the satin gown.

"Do you have blood in here?" Edward asked, making for the fridge.

"Very little, but help yourself. You need it more than I do," he said, beginning to rummage through the cabinets and drawers, pulling out a few things and placing them next to me: a long, curved needle with thread; a vial of clear liquid; and a syringe. I swallowed, cupping the wound, wanting to touch with my fingertips to feel how deep it went, but I dared not. A part of me didn't wish to know.

He lifted my chin as I lowered my good arm from the cut. He bent so his irises were level with mine. They were a dark red, but the whites were wonderfully bright. "This shouldn't be a problem." He grinned a little. "Talk to me. Tell me what happened."

"My face met a window," I said, then inhaled deeply. He reminded me of hot nights in L.A.. I imagined his skin would taste of salt and lemon.

Fingers squeezed my arm. "And your shoulder." It wasn't a question.

I shied away from the agony. How did he know about that? "I fell on it."

The blond showed off his normal-looking teeth for a brief moment when his grin stretched into a smile.

"Where's your warming plate?" Edward asked behind me.

The vampire didn't even look up as he studied my sore arm and the various positions which made me hiss and curse under my breath.

He didn't answer out loud, because Edward was out the door with a full bag of blood.

"Bella Swan," he said, as though he were trying the name out as he lifted my bad arm. I bit my lip as he began to rotate it. "You were to be executed tonight."

I nodded, feeling my stomach begin to twist as he readied the syringe with the clear liquid. "Yes."

He turned my wrist upward and pushed on my arm.

_Pop!_

I screamed at the shooting agony and cradled my elbow in my palm, rocking back and forth at the new pain. He didn't even warn me! Asshole!

"Sorry about that. Anyway, you lucked out. I can't think of a more vile creature than Royce King." He patted my knee and said, "Relax. I'm going to clean you up first," then walked away just as Edward came back in the room with an empty bag.

"Two weeks is too long." Edward disposed of the bag in a red trash can with a lid.

"Then maybe you shouldn't have left in the first place."

"You know my reasons for leaving, Carlisle. Don't get into that right now."

Carlisle's bottom lip fluttered in laughter, the profile of his teeth not nearly as sharp as Edward's. He almost seemed like a happy creature. "It's hard to get into anything with you."

"Because _we_ have no reason to speak," Edward muttered.

Carlisle was standing in front of me again with cotton swabs and alcohol. "So we must forget the art of conversation even though knowledge is infinite? I enjoy speaking with you."

Edward didn't answer.

The cold burn of the alcohol stung my skin and I tensed at the sensation it caused. Moments ticked by like that, and I grew curious at the conversation they'd had. Infinite knowledge. I wondered what that meant. I was sure it had something to do with Edward's mind reading ability, but Carlisle was a mystery.

He lowered the cotton and picked up the syringe once more, my nerves twisting at the sight of the needle as he readied it with clear liquid. "It's not as bad as it looks," he said, holding it upward and forcing the fluid out to rid the space of air.

I took a few deep breaths then waited for more pain, but none ever came, just a cool sensation before he lowered the syringe. Done. It surprised me. While he threaded the curved needle, I glanced at Edward. He sat in a chair a few feet away, watching our interaction over his folded fingers in front of him. "So, they said you were gone for good," I said. I didn't want to make him upset, I just wanted to take my mind off what Carlisle had in his hands.

"You say that as though you're disappointed to see me."

I shivered, the cold of the basement beginning to affect me. The tremble made me wince because my shoulder wasn't ready for the movement, not just yet. "You haven't exactly been my favorite person." Carlisle began his work on my forehead. Still nothing. No pain, just a slight tug. I could no longer look at Edward, he appeared horrible in the bright lights — more gargoyle-like than undead. I forced myself to stare at Carlisle's white t-shirt, instead. Still, I saw him in my periphery, where I liked to keep him.

"Well, your favorite is too much of a coward to go against his master, regardless of his better judgement. So, in his place you got me. Would you rather I left you to your own devices?"

I didn't answer, just set my jaw.

"And," Edward continued, "what do you think would've happened had I not been here?"

I didn't want to think about that. I didn't want to imagine what Royce would've done if Edward hadn't shown up. Just the mere mention caused wild _what__-__ifs _to fly through my head. The thoughts caused my eyes to sting, and I was sure he saw the slight glimmer hanging onto my lower lid because he seemed satisfied with my distress. "Yeah, I think you know," he said.

Carlisle didn't offer anything to the conversation, he stayed silent as it dropped between us. In fact, the silence and the chill of the room seemed too much.

"He knows you're here," Carlisle said, stopping for only a moment as his eyes drifted down. "I'm not at all comfortable with this." He pulled the needle and thread back, tightening a pass he just made.

"He won't do anything to you. You're too valuable."

"Well, I begin to question my value when conspiracy is on the table." Carlisle shook his head with disapproval. "Her being alive, Royce dead."

"You have nothing to worry about. It's me he wants. Though, I'm not sure how to explain any of this away."

Carlisle reached for the small set of scissors beside me and clipped through the black string. He gave me a small grin. "The future isn't my specialty, but I'm afraid you won't be able to talk your way out of this one."

"And I have a lot more to lose," Edward said. I felt his eyes on me, and when I glanced in his direction, I was correct. If Edward wasn't able to talk his way out of Aro's wrath, then we all would suffer for his bold act of rescuing me from Royce, then beheading him. Another memory I wished could be flushed from my mind forever.

I swallowed the fear. "What will he do with me?"

Edward didn't hesitate. "Kill you. It'll be Royce King all over again. He'll find someone else, and they'll take you physically, and when they're finished they'll drink your blood. A long-denied feast for a vampire with a proper fortune. Pleasure and lust."

"Long denied?"

"Physical contact between our species is forbidden, is what he means," Carlisle said. "Outside of a manor, at least. Inside, it can be monitored and addressed."

Edward agreed. "The one law we enforce above all others."

And then I was reminded of Jake, how he was one of them and all the relationships he had on campus. The nights he would keep me awake, the noise seeping through the walls, and how the women would barely remember their interactions. "Then what about Jake?"

This seemed to perk Edward's attention. "Jake?"

"Black."

"The scout? What about him?"

Carlisle shifted between us, his eyes on the ceiling overhead. "Edward, he's coming. The stairs." His ominous voice frightened me.

Aro. I didn't want him to see me alive because I knew what he'd say, knew what he'd do. It paralyzed my thoughts, and I couldn't form a coherent memory of Jake. Edward had risen from the chair and stood in front of me now. He grabbed my shoulders and I wailed from the pressure, but he didn't release.

"Edward," Carlisle said, leaning into his ear.

"Shh! What about Jacob Black?"

"His relationships with women," I said through gritted teeth. He released me, and my first instinct was to cradle the hurt shoulder again, but that time it was tender to the touch.

"What relationships?" Edward asked, his voice frantic and eyes excited. The black had begun to wane, the whites visible and the red breaking through the black. "How do you know this?!"

"I was his neighbor. He had women over all the time!"

"Edward!" Carlisle hissed and took large steps away from us and toward the corner of the room. I watched as he focused intently on the door, and couldn't help but feel his intensity, too. Edward's hand redirected me back to his face.

"And how do you know what they did!?"

"Because I heard it."

Edward grinned, satisfied, just as the door to Carlisle's room slammed open. I saw the sheen of Aro's thick robe, the wave of his gate and the vampires following behind him as he found his way into the lab. "What is the meaning of this? You dare come into my house without consent?!"

His corrupt mouth tore open with more ferocity than I'd ever seen from him. Aro's fiery eyes locked onto me then shifted to Edward and Carlisle. "Deceivers! I shall see to it that you will both be locked in the strongest cells and starved 'til the end of my reign!" He hoisted a finger into the air as if to exemplify his point then it fell onto me. "And you! I will see to it you die!"

"Don't you want to know where I've been, Father?" Edward asked, placing his hands behind his back.

Aro took three steps and swiped a hand across Edward's face. Regardless of the power behind it, Edward remained a perfect, frozen statue.

"I want nothing from you anymore," Aro said, his sneer deepening as his lip crested over his gums.

"Not even if it was to _protect_ your reign?"

"I have serious doubts you could protect my estate now. Your mind is warped, and you have abandoned me without a word of your intent, and I have no use for you anymore!" He started to turn, but stopped when Edward spoke.

"I have information you must hear before you carry out your sentence of starvation and death."

Aro didn't speak, only turned to face him once more.

"I have it on good authority your most trusted coven members are working together to overthrow your council and re-write your laws," Edward said.

"And _who_ would have the ability to do that?"

"Jacob Black."

His name caught my attention and Aro's back straightened. "Jacob is a scout, a nothing. I assume you have evidence if you're accusing him of treason."

"I was gone for two weeks to watch him, but was unable to gather proof," Edward said, his eyes shifting to me once then back to Aro. He was making it up as he went along. He never scouted Jacob's apartment, didn't even know anything about him until I said something. My curiosity was piqued and I wondered what Edward was playing.

Aro's lip twitched. He reached for Edward's hand, and held it for a moment before throwing it back down. "You may as well be accusing an innocent man," Aro said, then turned to the vampires behind him. They watched him as we did, only their life didn't dangle by a thread. He motioned to us, flicking his hands over his shoulders. "Take them away. Kill them both."

"No!" I screamed as they took my arms. I hissed and shouted against the agony they subjected me to.

Through my shouts, I saw three fighting against Edward, holding onto his shoulder and waist as he worked against them to reach Aro. "You haven't heard me! There's a reason why Bella Swan must remain alive! She _is_ your evidence!"

Aro stopped walking, nearly reaching the cusp of Carlisle's den. The silence before he spoke was torturous, and his voice low-pitched, hard. "How is she anything?"

"Tell him," Edward directed at me, immersed with plea.

It fell from my lips like it meant nothing. "I used to be Jacob's neighbor!" My lower lip trembled.

Aro faced us again, and motioned at the guards. They released my arms and I groaned at the sensation.

"And?" Aro edged.

"He used to have women over at his apartment all the time, every other night at least."

"And what did he do with these women?"

I hesitated, wondering what would come of the confession, what life it would inspire inside and outside the manor. But, I couldn't go back, not then. "They had sex."

He stiffened. "How do you know that?"

"Because I heard them."

"And it's not just him, sir"—Edward stepped forward, around the guards—"it's James Thomas as well. They're in on it together. There's one other person here, the one whose thoughts I heard to alert me of this matter, but I couldn't make out the owner. Do you see what happens when you put your trust into others?" Edward asked, concreting himself closer to Aro. "Do you see what happens when I'm not here to listen? They will take advantage of you, trick you. Jacob Black has been doing it for some time now, and _finally_ someone slipped up. Would you have known had it not been for me?"

I'm sure Aro searched for the pros and cons of putting his faith into Edward, if so then he and I were the same. "Bring them to me, and find the other. We shall see if there is any credibility to this story. If it is how you claim."

"If you bring James and Jacob here to cross them, surely the third party will reveal themselves. Perhaps there is more, even; in the house, and outside."

"And how does the death of Royce King fit into your equation, hm? Was he one of them? I never saw a treacherous moment pass in his mind. He remained faithful to the law."

Edward paused, maybe searching for an excuse, but his eyes never left Aro's. "He became angry at my need for Bella and attacked me. He meant to kill her, and me. I couldn't allow the evidence to die. There was no escaping his death. He brought it upon himself."

"And what if the names you've condemned are innocent? What then?"

"Then you may do whatever you'd like to me, and I'll go without a complaint. My only interest is keeping your rule steady and strong by any means possible, as always, Father." Edward reached and kissed the knuckles of Aro's hand, bowing his head ever-so-slightly into submission.

"We shall see." Aro left the room, but called over his shoulder, "Inform me when James and Jacob arrive! I'm sending the guard after them!"

When there was silence, and Edward's smile. "See, Carlisle, I told you he wouldn't do anything to you."

Carlisle stepped away from his corner and crossed the room to Edward. He didn't speak, but his eyes were focused. He was speaking to him through his mind, and I grew curious as to what he was hiding. Edward didn't speak either, his stare intrusive and concentrated as well. Then, I remembered what Edward had said before Aro arrived: they didn't _need_ to speak to each other. They could play a game of silence and shadows without anyone knowing the wiser.

After moments of this, Edward took me up by my elbow. His fingers stung and made my heart jump because I wasn't aware he would touch me until he did. Then, my thoughts were no longer on Carlisle and Edward, they turned to myself. "What will happen to me?" I asked as we exited Carlisle's lower chambers and into the stairwell.

"I already told you what he would do. It hasn't changed, but you will engage in the trial now."

"Trial?" I asked, stepping onto the main floor. Edward closed the door behind us.

"You will stand as a witness against Jacob and James, to bring up the past memories. They will bubble to the surface and all shall be revealed to me. If Jacob has done what you said, then it's trouble for us all."

But, Aro could see the past. With one touch, he would know. Why would he need me? "Trouble?"

We reached the white, sterile hall. It didn't match the rest of the cavernous house. We stopped. "Would you care to see him die?" Edward asked, glancing down the hall then back at me. "Would it please you to see Jacob Black executed?"

Thoughts of Royce's decapitated head and putrid stink were still fresh in my mind. I could still smell him on my dress. His rancid nature lingered in my hair. But, Jake dead? I would never deny thinking it, but never expected to be asked. I didn't know what he did to Angela or Jessica. That angered me, not knowing what he said or if he touched them. "I would like to know what happened to my friends. He said he was going to 'take care of them'."

"And once you find out, you'd like him disposed of?"

"One less vampire," I said, and that made Edward grin. He unlocked the barely legible SOLITUDE door, and it groaned on it's hinges in response to his keys and touch. I didn't want to go back in. The darkness frightened me more than Edward did. At least he was almost predictable.

"He's really going to die?" I asked. It was a desperate last question, and I pushed on the door with my good arm as Edward tried to shut me inside. Not that I was against Jake dying, but confused about why they would want to kill him. I didn't quite understand.

Slivers of our faces met through the gap, his stare intruding mine. Upon first glance it was, for lack of a better word, content. The lines around his mouth and eyes were soft, but smile-less.

But after a moment of gauging my stare, his eyes narrowed. "He has to."

I disappeared into the darkness, and he took the light with him. My hand rested on the bumpy leather padding, and I felt the cool material under my feet, my gown touching the tops of my toes. Why did Jake have to die for having sex with girls?

I scratched the back of my neck and closed my eyes, regardless how dark it was. I wanted to remember, and thought maybe it had been mentioned, but I'd forgotten or those words passed over me. I went over the scenario again and again. I remembered all of it.

Jacob and his relationships with women scared Aro, and because of this Jacob had to die. The law. It was the law.

What power or special gift did Jake have? Whatever it was, it must've been stronger than anyone else's I had met. Maybe I should've been scared, too.


	21. And They All Fell Down

**Thank you, Livie79 and Niko0921! Your opinions are invaluable. **

**If you just started reading this, I appreciate your interest. I thank you for the reviews and recommendations. They mean the world.**

**=)**

* * *

**XXI**

**And They All Fell Down**

I curled up next to the door, afraid of venturing further into the darkness, afraid of seeing things which weren't really there. My imagination shifted in the shadows, playing just out of reach.

"I don't want to die."

I clung to each word, the combination so heavy as it fell from my lips and tongue. My face flushed with heat, the kind of heat I remembered from my trip to Phoenix a few years ago. I would never forget the rush I felt below my skin when I stood in the sun, or the burn after long exposure.

I'd been exposed too long.

Sobs tickled my throat as they began to bubble from the weakest part of me as I held my sore arm to my chest and pressed my back against the door.

Lost. I'd never be found in such darkness. Hopeless. All of it. Useless.

I told myself to breathe, repeated it over and over again. _Just __breathe__, __just __take __a __deep __breath__. __Forget __everything __you __saw__. _

But I couldn't forget Edward's face, or Aro's anger, or the way Royce almost...

I swallowed, feeling the rush in my throat, the hot and cold of panic and fear. The cold air raised my skin, and if I held my breath I could hear the groans and creaks of the house around and below, unnatural against the heavy quiet. It seemed like I'd been sitting there for hours.

I erupted into sharp gasps, the all-too-familiar edge of reality sinking into my chest, burying into my stomach.

"I don't want to die," I cried, and it echoed through my small surroundings and I knew, then, I was alone in that room. So incredibly alone.

A rhythm began to grow, faint at first, but the longer I held my breath, concentrated on the noise, the louder it grew. Footsteps. They stopped outside the door, and I prepared myself for who would be on the other side. I moved away as keys ground in the lock, popping the squeaky door open. For the second time that night he came for me. Edward. His bare skin had been covered with his traditional black on black suit, though his hair still appeared wrecked, possibly even more than before. His shadow moved over my shivering frame. "Come on," he said.

I stood and moved away from the deep shadows, walking with him to the empty throne room. He pointed to the steps in front of the large chairs, an indicator where I should sit. I did, cradling my arm, afraid of my shoulder popping out again. I cringed at that thought.

His eyes shifted between the chairs, contemplating, and instead of sitting on the right where he usually did, he sat in the largest, in the middle: Aro's seat. He gripped the decorative arms, his long, white fingers curling around the wooden, bowed flourishes as though to claim as he stared across the sea of sand tile. And he sat unmoving, never removing his intense gaze from the large, double doors as though expecting them to open.

He wore a strange grin that didn't even affect his lips. It was made with his eyes, a sly confidence. The silence unnerved me, perhaps because we were alone in such a large room. He didn't speak to me, and I said nothing to him.

Three knocks rapped against the entrance of the room.

"Enter!" he yelled, and it echoed.

They fell open, two dozen bodies shuffling inside. Jake and James walked between them with three guards on each of their arms. Jake's long, dark hair had been pulled away from his face, as usual, but it fell over his shoulder. His face was pushed to his collarbone, his eyes on the floor in front of him. James had been forced into the same position.

My pulse quickened. I felt I could rise without any fear or consequences. I wanted to finish what I started when I slammed James' car against a rock wall. I wanted them dead. Jake most of all.

Jasper led them, his straight expression changing when he looked at us. He stopped in front of the steps after taking a quick look around, his eyes narrowing at Edward. Did he see the strangeness I saw, the peculiar smirk on his face? "Did you inform Aro of our arrival?" he asked. "Is he coming?"

And with those words, Edward's face softened. The smile he'd held for minutes and the confidence in his posture dropped as he stood from Aro's throne. "Brothers," he said, "there's been a tragedy."

The declaration seemed solely meant for Jasper as Edward stepped down to the common floor, but whispers began to creep through the room. Voices of the creatures I often saw as silent faces were the only sound as words broke over the coven, gathered from their hunting party. Edward propped his hands behind his back as he settled in front of them.

When his shoes came together they all quieted and focused their attention to him, forgetting their words and conversations. "We have been deceived. All of us. Our good master has been murdered. Slain in his own chambers!"

"Who would kill our master?" one asked. "Who killed him? Show him to us! We shall burn him! This crime shall not go unpunished!" And the coven agreed.

"Brothers," Edward said over the noise, "the murderer has been caught in the act. I heard his thoughts. They alerted me to Aro's chamber. I knew the voice." Edward's once-still feet began to move. He paced in front of them. "I opened the door and found Emmett, fresh from killing. He plunged Aro's crown into his beloved hearth and his head lit up! He saw me there, his thoughts were wild with control and power, and those he served! Secret doors in his mind opened when he saw me." He nodded. Others nodded, too, agreeing. "He showed me why he did what he felt he had to, that traitor, that spy! It's no secret Emmett wallowed in flesh as well as blood. It's no secret that we turned our heads the other way because it was under our care, our supervision. This is why we've conjured here tonight! To trial those who trespass against us!"

Edward stepped behind Jake and James. "And now, it's no secret you do the same, but without our walls and records. Emmett was one of you. He took up your influence."

The guards allowed Jake to look up at Edward, so he could answer. "Emmett? One of us?" Jake said, his lips half-turned in smile, the other concern. "We barely knew that guy. Newborn rabble." Jake looked at me, and it caught me off guard. "And speaking of rabble..."

He received a scowl in return. My eyes narrowed at him, my hands balling.

"They haven't killed her yet. Surprising," James said.

"That _human_ has confirmed the information we received on your priorities with this coven," Edward said. "Her testimony has been invaluable."

"What testimony?" Jake's voice began to change into something more gruesome than his actual nature.

"Bella Swan is your former neighbor, is that right?" Edward asked.

Jake's eyes slid to me before coming back to Edward. He bared his teeth and tried to step forward, but was held back by the guards on his arms. "Yes," he hissed.

"During that time you engaged in sexual intercourse with many women. Do you deny it?"

For the first time Jake shut his mouth about his conquests, his top lip twitching over his teeth.

"I'll ask again; do you deny it?"

"This is madness! You actually believe a human?!"

"I believe the thoughts of those women racing through your mind! How you hypnotized them to get your way then drank from them! You used your power to help them forget the pain, the actions, but you forgot about the venom, Jacob! It remains even when the memory does not!"

"I... I was careful!"

"You have betrayed this coven, this order! You rebel against the laws I helped set forth! You got to Emmett, convinced him of your ways, made him a spy for you so you could know the workings within these walls. You planned to assassinate all high standing members. Greed! Power! Lust! Sex!" Edward's words were crazy, his voice low and loud. "Don't try to hide it behind other thoughts... I've already seen!"

"We receive trial!" James shouted. "Only Master may condemn our crimes!"

Edward leaned in closer. "And I say you're guilty!"

Wide-eyed and mouths parted they protested as Edward walked toward the throne. His eyes met mine briefly before turning back to the coven. He'd become Master. In all the possibilities that could've happened that night Edward being in charge of the house was a mistake. I knew what would happen to me, I could see my future tangle with his. I'd be called to his room, placed on his bed. Those teeth. I shuddered, wrapping my arms around my torso to convince my stomach it was alright.

The protests from James and Jake continued as Jasper locked with Edward. My imagination could've been running away with me, or it might've been my angle, but he didn't seem entirely convinced of Edward's new position. Regardless, he turned to the others. "What says our master of their punishment? The penalty for human relationships outside these walls is death. Does the penalty stand?" He turned back to Edward.

"You're never going to find another like me!" Jake shouted, fighting the restraint. "I was a faithful and loyal servant! Never in all your long, miserable years is another going to do what I do! Aro recognized this and would be lenient!"

"But in your scheming your spy has killed the lord in your favor. Now, you have me and I say... the penalty stands."

"NO!" Jake struggled to free himself, his fangs bared at Edward. My neighbor, my once-nice neighbor who helped me brings boxes from the moving truck when I first arrived. All that time he hid a creature under his skin. All that time I lived next to death and never knew it. "You're a liar! A fraud!"

"Put him on his knees!" Edward shouted in a tone I'd never heard from him. Power took over his words. They pushed a struggling Jake to his knees, his arms spread by his side, taken by three vampires on each. James fought, too, but like his friend proved unsuccessful. And I wondered then, what his exact talent was, why he was so irreplaceable. I leaned forward on my folded arms, squeezing them between my thighs and stomach as I watched Edward take Jake's head between his hands.

"Do you have any last words?"

"Fuck you!"

"Very well, but one last question," Edward said, looking down into angry eyes. "What happened to Bella's friends, the ones you were to 'take care of'?"

This question pulled my attention, and I expected him to answer. A few seconds passed, and his body and head were separated in one swift twist and pull from Edward. The coven ignited with cheers!

My eyes closed, squeezed the sight away and if that wasn't enough, I turned my head, too. A death for those already dead.

I peeked carefully, prepared to turn away at the slightest sign of blood. A vampire was already dragging the body away through the double doors, one following the trail of red. His elbows bent as if carrying something. The head.

"Now for you," Edward said to James as they brought him forward, the creatures' approval roared behind him. His eyes were bright red, not blue like I remembered.

"I have not broken any laws," James said, bowing before him. "Many times I could have, but I've never crossed the threshold like Jacob. I know better than to upset you, Master." He spoke to Edward like he did to Aro, like he'd never left. There was no transition between them, Edward filled Aro's empty space without sorrow or regret. "I've always served you!"

"Yet, you did not tell us of his actions. You protected him, and used Emmett as a mole. You had other plans for this coven. You were part of a revolution, and the very thought is treason. The penalty is death, from which there is no return. Hold him on his knees!"

I closed my eyes again, my hands cupping my ears. I never wanted to hear the tearing sound again, never wanted to see it.

James' voice was muffled as he screamed. "No! There was no revo—!"

The silence prickled and remained. I uncovered my ears slowly, but didn't dare to open my eyes. My heavy breaths were the only sound. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was alone in that big room.

I opened my eyes, wishing I kept them shut. James lay on his back, unmoving. Edward discarded his head onto his body, red tendrils hanging from the exposed wound. Once again, the coven erupted from their patient silence. My stomach fluttered, my lids grew weak. Copper invaded my nostrils, followed by death. My head turned, my breathing soft, but it wouldn't be long before I foundered and gave into my need to vomit.

"Brothers!" The mob grew quiet once more at Edward's words. When he spoke, they listened. "I have extinguished those who violate our laws, but the cost has been great! We've lost a dedicated Lord, and it is with a heavy conscience that I assume his throne. No one will ever take his place, but we must continue our missions for this existence we've been granted!"

"This is the way of our laws," Jasper said when Edward finished and turned from the creatures, toward the throne. "Aro was good, knowledgeable, fair and I know he wouldn't choose any other vampire to take his place should something happen to him. This is the contract of our master, our crown. Now, I ask Him to make the same decision. Who will be named your Second, Edward? Who shall succeed you if, for any reason, you are to pass?"

Edward's presence behind me only intensified the want to vomit. My throat lurched. I gulped the heavy air, holding my stomach and praying to God he'd answer me this one time and make the pain and nausea go away. This was a mistake. He didn't need such high authority. The heat was almost immediate under my skin, flushing my cheeks and spreading everywhere at once. My stomach and chest caved, and the bile rose, burning my throat and mouth as it came up and splattered onto the floor next to Jasper's boots and my bare toes.

Jasper jumped away. I held myself on the step below, my quivering, sore arm wavering. I stared at what I'd just done, knowing I had to do it again. It splattered onto the floor. My chest burned. My eyes stung with tears and the back of my mouth tingled as I looked up at Jasper. He stared at the liquid contents, his horror my own.

But Edward seemed unaffected. "The rules inside this House are changing! My decision on Second will be decided soon, when I've had the chance to see where loyalties fall."

Jasper stepped forward and took Edward's hand into his own. He placed his lips upon his knuckles then bowed his head. "My Lord," he whispered.

"Clean her," Edward said, his voice low, "and have her brought to my room." His red eyes slipped to mine, and I took in a breath. I knew what that meant, knew what it entailed. My bottom lip trembled as Jasper reached for me, but I pulled away, refusing his help. I stood, the red, satin dress covered with wet and stink. I touched my fingertips to my mouth as I walked past James' still body. Jasper didn't even acknowledge the body next to his boots.

I heard Edward's voice again as we reached the doors. "Take that traitor to the morgue. He will burn with his friend."

"What was that about?" Jasper asked as we walked up the stairs. I had to hold onto the skirt of the dress so I wouldn't trip over it. The wet twisted into my fingers, and I felt disgusted with myself.

"Everything," I said. "Smells, sights. I don't know why I was even required to be there. He didn't even have me say anything."

"A presence does more than words ever can."

I pushed open the door to the showers, winding through the cavernous walls to the low-lit space. Jasper's face came to mind, his expression toward Edward when no one else could see. "Do you _really_ believe Emmett killed Aro?" I asked.

He turned me around and pushed me against the wall. The cool tile shocked me. His hand over my mouth held me in place, his eyes wide. I'd never heard him take in and release a harsh breath before. It hit my face, pushing my hair back. "You and I must no longer speak of such things!" His whisper was forceful. "Our conversations can never exist anymore. You are to be silent unless spoken to. I have been lenient with you, answered questions I should never have answered, treated you as equal at times. Even now. Any other would hit you to the floor."

I nodded against his rough skin, sucking in the clove air. It filled my lungs until it hurt. His lips were so close, his nose almost brushing against mine.

He braced himself against the wall, his elbow next to my jaw as he allowed another breath to hit, leaning in, touching his mouth to the back of his hand. "I say poetry to keep him away from my thoughts," he mumbled. "Even now, I recite something simple in my head. His gift is in the present, not the past. There are too many questions floating through the air, thoughts he must sort through with this new revelation. I'm lost in the puzzle, in here with you. My actions can be overlooked if his mind isn't on me, but he knows of our talks." He leaned away. "You belong to him in every aspect, and if I betray my place then I fear for Alice more than ever before. Do you understand?"

I understood. Edward was in charge. His house, his rules and Jasper might've been on his watch list because of his _relationship_ with me. He had been strangely understanding, more human-like over the past couple of weeks. We began to blur against the clear, distinct line of predator and prey. My insides coiled. I would be so lucky if Jasper cared for me as he did for Alice, to have someone care for my fate as I did, as if they were me.

I nodded, and he removed his hand. "I won't let anything happen to her," I said, "I care for her, too." His touch fell, brushing against the hollow of my throat then slipping to my collarbone. I tried to breathe calmly. He woke from a stare then removed his fingers.

"It's not the same as before, Bella. Now you're his, and he will want you with him. His sight will remain on you. Keep it that way." His eyes were on me, off me, gazing at my neck, my face, the wall. "Give yourself to him in any way he wishes. Be captured for the sake of this place, for every creature within. You have more power than your realize," he whispered.

He leaned in closer, his lips touching my ear bringing a chill with it. His whisper brushed my skin and caused my spine to roll against the wall. "And no, I don't believe Emmett killed Aro."

* * *

**I've received a few questions regarding the Lions Eat Lambs sequel. On my profile is a link to my blog. I've posted the first half of the chapter there, with a little more information regarding the continuation. **

**I'm also on Twitter, too, if you have any questions. **

**xoxo**


	22. The Rose Hourglass

To Cathi: *scribbles on chapter* okay...

=D

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Thank you, Livie79 and Niko0921. You're beyond words.

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**XXII**

**The Rose Hourglass**

I would've stayed under the warm water forever if permitted. I would've become lost in time under the stream, hoping to soothe the pounding in my skull and the dull ache ringing through my muscles. In the short amount of time I'd been allowed, neither were swayed. The adrenaline had set me on edge, the night had taken its toll on me, and I was sure I'd never forget the scent of death, or the way Jake died, but I couldn't think about that. Not then, not while searching for some reprieve from the darkness.

I pulled my fingers through the tangled ends of wet hair with a towel wrapped tightly around my torso. The thin layer of fabric did nothing to conceal against the cool air in the shower room or the hall.

"You'll stay in his room until he returns," Jasper said, unlocking the door and pushing it open. Nothing inside had changed since the last time I saw it. The lamps next to his bed illuminated the piano, and the bookcases on the wall, the large armoire next to the bathroom, which had been overcome with shadow. The door and desk were almost ignored by the light. Jasper followed me in, but stopped just within the door's reach."You'll find your clothes on the bed. Hang your towel on the rack in the bathroom when you're finished."

"Where is he?" I asked, turning to the door.

"Attending to business still." He ducked his head into the hall, checking both directions before approaching me, though he didn't come closer than arm's length, but I could still feel him through the air, his electricity reaching out when he couldn't. "Remember what I told you. Keep his eyes trained on what's before him. Don't allow them to wander. I fear what will become of this house if you're unable to keep his attention. After this we're not to speak. Ever. Do you understand what I've told you?"

I nodded and he spun once again, heading for the door.

"Jasper?"

His eyes found me, his hand resting on the handle, and at the sight of him a warmth began to creep into my chest, but I couldn't tell if it came from inside me or if it'd been given. I rubbed the goosebumps forming on my arms. "How?" I couldn't believe I even asked. "How do I keep his attention?"

"Seduce him."

Those words together seemed strange and caused my pulse to quicken. Did he even know what he asked of me? "You expect me to sleep with him?"

"No."

I released my breath. Relief.

"But I expect you to do whatever's necessary," he said.

He closed the door and turned the locks. Alone. Actually alone. I didn't waste a minute drying off and pulling the gown over my head in case Edward was on his way. Even though he said he would never be interested in my body, it didn't ease my mind knowing he could just walk in.

I ignored flicking on the light in the bathroom, knowing exactly where the towel would go; I remembered the location from when Edward dropped me in the tub. That was the night he nearly killed me.

I stepped from the tile to the hardwood. Alone in Edward's room. The sole of my foot became wet and when I looked down I realized I'd dripped water everywhere. He didn't like wet floors. I hurried back into the dark to retrieve the towel, dropping to my knees once at the wood again to wipe up any drops I saw. Confrontation had to be few and far between if I were to take Jasper's advice.

When I finished I hung the wet fabric back in it's spot like it'd never happened then stood in the center of everything, my fingers hanging onto the bed post. I was afraid to touch anything else, afraid as soon as I reached for something he'd walk through the doors and catch me, the way a doctor would catch someone touching their sharp medical tools as they entered the room.

"How are you okay with this?" I whispered to myself, as though I could reason away the lack of wanting to run or escape. "I mean really?" How was I not taking advantage of the opportunity?

A few feet away was the possibility of freedom, shielded by it's heavy mass of curtains to make someone forget about the outside world. I pushed them aside, wanting to see the way the midnight-blue sky looked behind the shaded pines, rolling up and down the hills in the distance. In place of what I expected, pitch black pressed against the glass, a seemingly endless void on the other side of the wall. For once I was thankful for the separation because it didn't feel real. Not even the moon and stars penetrated such a darkness. Did the world still exist, or had we been swallowed by time and earth? Were we alone in the world?

I leaned against the wall, allowing my fingertips to feather-touch the pane of ink.

"Not thinking of escaping are you?"

I tensed at the question, the voice, the sudden appearance of something except for silence. Edward was there, at the doorway, carrying a large stack of beige folders in one of his arms and shutting the door with the other. He twisted the lock and shoved the key into his pocket.

"There's no point," I said, straightening, allowing my hand to lax. "You'd come after me."

"And they say old dogs can't learn new tricks." He dropped the folders onto the desk, and they toppled over, falling into steps until they settled. "Finally realize the impossible nature of freedom? What made you think you could escape anyway by taking that key? You had to have known they would've found out sooner or later."

I shook my head, twirling my fingers, a simple distraction from having to look at him. "I don't regret what I did, but if I had the chance I'd do it differently. I would've used the key the same night."

"What stopped you?"

"I don't know." I told myself to wait, act normal, that I had plenty of time until my... scent... went away. Then, I wondered how I could leave the other girls. How could I leave them to die?

"I do," he said. "Fear."

"No. I wasn't afraid." I thought about it for a moment. I'd never saw it as fear, though I had a million excuses to why I hadn't tried to leave. Maybe I _was_ afraid. Afraid of leaving the girls, afraid of being caught, afraid of what would happen once I ran from those stone walls. Life would never be the same.

"Even now." He stood in front of me, our bodies parallel with the window, with each other. "You're scared."

My legs trembled, and I couldn't hide it. I was always afraid, even if I pretended not to be. "Afraid of pain, maybe," I said, because I was never shy about that confession.

He looked at my forehead, reaching and running his thumb across the tender wound. At first, the cool of his finger didn't bother me so much, but when his rough skin dragged against mine, disturbing the wound, I hissed and tilted my head under his reach. "It's fine."

I didn't expect him to retract his hand, or care he hurt me at all, but he lowered his arm to his side. "He didn't bite you, that's good. A bite from him would've been more painful than anything I could give you."

_He. Royce. _"Why was he different anyway? He was nothing like you. He smelled."

He glanced into the void on the other side of the glass. "Royce King had already died when he was turned."

My brow pulled down, a curiosity beginning to stem and Edward saw this and continued. "His human body died, and during his decay a desperate newborn vampire drank from him, hoping to find blood. He was unaware the venom would eventually reanimate the corpse. Royce King was undead, in the truest sense of the word. More of a zombie than a vampire."

My thoughts shivered back to Royce and the way he smelled and looked. The reason behind the make-up and cologne was to mask the fact he had been a decaying piece of meat. Truly dead. His cold hands had touched me. My stomach flipped and ached at the memory of being pinned to the bed. I couldn't find the words. I wrapped my arms around my torso.

"And because of it," Edward said, "he spent his life in the shadows."

"But won't he come back? I mean, can he? The venom brought him to life once, won't it do it again?"

"The lowest part of the house is a furnace for cremation, the final place for a treacherous vampire or anyone stupid enough to warrant a death sentence. The venom can't survive the heat."

"Well, that's good," I said, almost smiling.

"Even if he were somehow able to miraculously survive decapitation and flames, he would have to come through me to get to you." He gave me an almost-grin, then tugged on a stand of hair hanging in my face with a gentleness I would've never expected from him. It seemed almost playful.

He stepped into the bathroom, flicking on the light and pulling the shirt over his head without shutting the door. The sink water started then stopped a moment later. After a second, the light blinked off and he stepped out, shirtless and reaching for his armoire. His bare torso was white against the black pants, his lean muscles flexing stiffly as he moved. He chose a gray t-shirt and slipped it over his head.

"And," he said, seeming hesitant as he slow-stepped to his desk, "you were right about Jacob. He had many women."

"I wouldn't lie about that," I said, still standing at the window. His death surfaced, but I quickly shut off the memory. I didn't want to think about that, but there was one thing I'd forgotten about. "Jessica and Angela." I turned to Edward again. He stood at his desk, flipping through the folders with a single index finger, picking at his lip with the other hand. "Did Jake tell you what happened to them?"

"He told me everything." He closed the folder, facing me, but then turned to the door right before a knock penetrated the quiet space.

Demetri ducked his head to his collarbone, holding up a white box in front of him when the door was opened. Edward took the box, watching him for only moment before he closed the door and walked the box to his desk, opening the lid along the way. He pulled several items out and placed them on top of the folders: a white and chrome machine with a long, white cord and three bags of blood.

This piqued my curiosity further, and I stepped toward him, vying for a closer look at what he was doing.

B. SWAN had been printed in very neat handwriting on the front bag, and then I understood.

"My blood." I paused next to Edward.

"All you gave to Aro," he said with an absent quality to his words. "He didn't get a chance to sell it before his untimely death."

His untimely death. I almost laughed. As if Edward was torn up about Aro's demise, whether by his hand or not because he had no intention of selling it either.

Edward would drink every last drop, but as long as he wasn't coming near me I didn't care if he drank my donated blood from the bag. I had more important concerns.

"What about Jessica and Angela?" I asked.

He sort-of chuckled and bent over to plug the bread basket-looking machine into the wall socket beside his desk. He set a bag of my blood on the chrome-looking plate and twisted the button below it, waking the round orange light on the opposite side of the machine. "They're fine. He did his job, but he didn't touch them otherwise, lucky for them."

I smiled. Jake hadn't touched them, at least in a way Edward thought was lucky. I would find out sooner or later what Jake's job entailed. I would make sure of it.

I followed Edward to his piano. The wooden bench groaned beneath his weight as he sat. He brought the instrument to life with a flutter of his fingers, but didn't play anything afterward. He turned his head, those dark-red eyes capturing and never releasing. "Is there something you need, Little Swan?"

I shook my head. "No."

He showed his teeth with a small grin. "Then why follow me as though you're lost?"

"I was just curious when I'd be going back to my room. I don't know how much longer I can keep my eyes open."

His grin fell, then he turned his attention back to the keys in front of him. They rang out once more under his fingertips. "Your room is here now, or was it not explained to you?"

I felt the blood, the heat, drain from my face. I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to explain how I didn't want to stay with him, how I knew he would attack me in the middle of the night, but nothing came from my parted lips. It caught in my throat and strangled me.

He rose from the bench, stepping past me to his bed where he pulled the sheets back, flipping the pillows out of place. He settled them at the headboard then gestured. "If you're tired then sleep."

That bed. I didn't want to sleep in _that_ bed. "But, it's yours."

"And I don't use it."

"Is your coffin more comfortable?"

Edward huffed a small laugh. "I don't sleep. I haven't for awhile now." He invited me to slip underneath the fluffy covers again, and while the idea of a pillow sounded comforting enough to want to accept his offer I didn't budge. "Afraid?" he asked, his grin forming once more, the pointed edges of his teeth bumping his bottom lip.

"I don't trust you," I said.

"I saved your life, and you don't trust me?"

"You saved me for your own desires, not mine. I don't trust anything that wants to eat me."

"I have no interest in you tonight, Bella, nor any other night as long as there are bags which contain your blood." His attention left me and dropped the comforter and sheets for the machine, striding past me to touch the bag on the plate. He turned the dial on the machine, but not enough to turn the light off and I knew then what it was. A warmer.

He lifted the bag, seizing the tube on top between his lips and pulled my blood into his mouth. He did this for several seconds, and I watched as the bag became less and less full. He drained it half-way until he lowered it back to the plate.

Blood stained his bottom lip and clung to his teeth, painting the white as he took in a hard breath like he had been underwater too long. His tongue swiped the remaining blood from his lip. "Yours is worth waiting for," he said. "And I see the thoughts in your eyes." He came toward me. My pulse quickened and my breaths became erratic as his hand touched my cheek. "Feel them in your chest." He placed a palm on my sternum and his eyes held me still. "But my intention isn't to kill you."

"You tried before," I said. "That night..."

"A mistake," he shook his head, "A mistake I won't make again." Edward's fingertips fluttered across my forehead, pushing the small amount of hair from my face. "It's why I left. I had to train my thirst. I want you to live, Bella. When I heard Aro had sold you to Royce I came because I knew what would happen to you."

I stepped back from him, and he didn't stop me as I found my way behind the piano to put distance between us.

"They don't know how special your blood is. I do."

_My blood._ "What am I to you?" I asked, feeling a swell of emotion run rampant through my nerves. "Your pet?"

"A donor."

No. "A donor is willing."

"My queen, then. Higher than any of those above your species anywhere in the world."

_My queen? His. _I wasn't a possession! I wasn't something he could control or dictate. I didn't belong to his world! "I don't want to be a queen, least of all yours!" I screamed at him, and I knew it was the wrong tone to take. His eyes widened, his shoulders squared and his lip pulled back in a snarl. I failed to do what Jasper said.

He ripped the lamp from the nightstand behind him then and threw it against the door! I tensed, wanting to shield myself. I'd gone too far.

"What more could you possibly want?!" he roared, the monster forming in his voice.

My mouth opened, but my words were cold. I just wanted to go home, but instead of telling him what he'd heard a thousand times before I said, "Nothing!"

I wasn't even sure what I meant by it. Did I not want any more favors, or did I simply wish to perish?

His eyes were erratic and searching, not able to land or focus. He tore to his desk, taking the bag of blood in his grasp once more then pulled from the tube. He drained more of my blood from the bag. And the more he depleted the less time I had. My life was safe as long as the red remained inside. I had to keep his attention on me, not on his thirst. Screaming at him wouldn't wouldn't 'seduce him', but how could I get along with someone I hated?

I swallowed the lump of fear that had gathered in my throat. I pulled on the edge of the gown at my thighs, running the hard material between my thumbs and index fingers. The bed was turned down, the white sheets folded over the cover and tempted me, but it was a bogus welcome.

"You've given me a second chance," I said with a lower, less-aggressive tone. The floor was cool beneath my feet, the comforter soft under my palm as I stroked the material, my gaze never leaving him. "But, how do I know you won't break your promise? How do I know you won't kill me?"

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done so by now. Right this instant perhaps, or five minutes ago." The breathlessness in his voice, the heaviness of his eyes. It showed his exhilaration, tiredness or relief. I couldn't tell which one. His expressions were always difficult to understand when he didn't show action, and part of me wanted to believe his words. If he told the truth then I could feel some spark of release from tension and fear, but I could never fully trust him, a vampire.

"You must know how hard it is for me," I said. "After all, you killed my father. You killed Emmett and Aro, and God knows who else to get to me." That was, of course, speculation.

"You've resolved your own worry," he said, stripping the warmer of light and blood to stuff the bag in the small, black refrigerator next to his desk. He abandoned that space, and made for mine, stopping at the piano inches from me. "I've betrayed my master, my coven, the laws of this world. It's unnatural, all of it. Everything I've known to be right has been compromised because of you. It would be... pointless to kill you now." He sat on his bench, bending his knees under the keys, but not touching them, though he stared as if wanting to, but forbidden.

"Do you see?" he asked, breaking his long contact with the instrument. His red eyes were so much brighter than before, almost dancing in the small glow from the only surviving lamp behind me, and I felt myself shift under them, under the height I was sure he felt in that moment. A drug-induced high. "Do you see why they can't have you?"

"Yes," I said. And maybe I did understand because I nodded. "I see."


	23. The Beast

Huge thanks to Livie and Sharon!

Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter.

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**XXIII**

_**THE BEAST**_

Sticky skin clung to soft sheets. A pattern of lights distorted my vision. Lamps and bed posts, the ceiling overhead. All a blur.

The cool air made the layer of sweat on my forehead seem like ice. Yet underneath, the rush of heat swarmed my veins as my heart pounded like a drum against my chest. I'd been shaken from a deep sleep, startled awake by a dream of falling, a sense of doom lingering.

I clutched my chest, catching my bearings before pushing up and breathing deeply. I caught Edward in my sight. He still sat at his desk, where he had been when I finally gave up the fight and crawled under the sheets last night.

"You were dreaming," he said. "Quite violently." He turned around, closing a beige folder on top of a smaller pile next to a larger one. He stood and advanced toward me. "Was it terrible?"

I cradled my forehead in my palm, wanting to shake the murkiness away as warmth began to bite my skin. I couldn't recall the exact details, even though it had just happened. It was a vague memory. Even if I could remember every insignificant detail, I wouldn't want to discuss it with him. "I don't remember."

His weight shifted the bed. I found myself nearly falling into him, but I corrected the imbalance, scooting more toward the pillows. His nearness put me on edge again. I startled when he moved, the adjustment so quick and uninvited. He shushed me and his brow furrowed as his thumb slid along the stitched gash on my forehead.

"It's still fine," I said. "It only hurts when you touch it." And with that, I jerked my head away.

He studied me for a moment, his eyes moving over mine, intense and piercing. Could he touch my soul with such a look? "When was the last time you ate?" he asked.

Not the response I expected. I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, concentrating on the question. The food here wasn't worth remembering. Keeping track of the last time I ate wasn't my first concern, so I shrugged. "I don't know. I think it was yesterday afternoon. Right before Royce, maybe?" That sounded right. Felt right.

He hummed a less than enthusiastic reply. "I see."

"I haven't noticed it, to be honest. I'm not even sure I could eat right now." I felt too sick to eat.

"You need to keep your strength up, keep the blood flowing. I'll send for something, but eat quickly. The afternoon is rising, and I have a meeting."

I ate a quick meal of fruit and toast, complete with the powdery water. A small glass of orange juice accompanied it, a rare treat which I sipped and savored as long as I could. I considered the strawberries a delicacy, a fond memory of berry cobbler — Dad's favorite dessert — began to overthrow the events which transpired yesterday. Even though they weren't in season and not nearly sweet enough, they were still something to be cherished. I found them familiar and comforting, even with their sour taste.

Edward shifted around the room, lingering at his desk a while longer, still fussing over those folders and I wondered the content. When he finished, he pulled a black dress shirt over his gray t-shirt, then slipped his arms into a black jacket.

"What's with the funeral colors?" I asked, piercing into the very last strawberry.

He inspected the blazer briefly, but his attention wasn't curved for very long. He peered up at me again.

I wiped my sticky fingers on my gown, still sitting cross-legged between the pillows and sheets. My mouth was full, but I worked the words around the fruit. "It's just, you always wear black. Is there a purpose? It's so... cliche. Vampires and black clothes, wasn't that always the expectation in every movie and every story?"

He looked at his attire once more, then shrugged. "I like black."

We were in the hall, walking with purpose and I was right on his coattails. A low hum could be heard outside the great hall doors, and when we entered I understood the noise. Conversation carried through the thick air, but when we entered the throaty, baritone-like hum quieted to nothing.

A league of bloodsuckers lingered in front of the steps, where Edward took a seat in the middle throne, inviting me to sit next to his feet with a gesture of his hand.

The vampires bowed to him, and that was when I spotted Jasper, though he didn't look in my direction. His eyes were trained on Edward, just as they had been on Aro. A loyal dog even though it seemed he could hardly stand or trust him. How did Edward feel about that, or did he know? Jasper developed a decent way to keep his thoughts shielded. How often did he have to safeguard them?

"You're curious why I've called a meeting so soon after the death of our beloved master," Edward began.

I felt my lips tick at his choice of words. Beloved? I wondered what would happen if the coven knew the truth about Aro's real killer? Would they still look to Edward for leadership? Or would he, too, end up in the basement furnace?

"Spies were among us, gentlemen, make no mistake about that. They slaughtered our master, endangered our lives, and tried to feed us to the wolves. Now, we must anchor ourselves to our existence once more." When he paused I looked up at him, expecting him to continue. He stared into the crowd in front of us, gauging, waiting. For what, I didn't know, but he sat like that until I guess he thought he waited long enough.

"Jacob Black made it his mission to take more than he was given. As if a free bottle of premium blood every week wasn't enough, he bedded and drank from more than fifty women in the last three months, and before that who knows how many! And gentlemen, we know the consequence of bedding."

The coven looked around at each other, nodding and agreeing. They knew the consequence. They all knew except me. I didn't know the significance of vampires and human relations, though I imagined it wouldn't be good for my species. It seemed every human would die for the vampire's pleasure, but their disadvantage was still unseen to me.

"Jacob's sentence has been carried out. Both him and James lay in the bottom of the furnace. Even though the traitors are dead, their actions still pose imminent danger to us. It is in our best interest to hunt down the women."

The women Jake slept with? No! He couldn't do that! He couldn't bring more women into the house, not _those_ women! I stood, compelled to fight, to do things I knew I shouldn't."You can't do that!" A plea poured from me as I stared at him, begging with my eyes. All those women?! "Edward, they didn't do anything wrong!"

"Sit down, Miss Swan," he said through gritted teeth. "You've forgotten your place."

"I know some of these women, Edward!" I took three steps toward the throne, looking down at him. "It's not their fault what happened between them and Jake!"

He leaned forward, curling his fingers inward as his elbow rested on the chair arm. His response was a whisper, but it was forceful and angry. "I won't tell you again."

I swallowed. Even though Edward said he wouldn't hurt me last night, that didn't mean he wouldn't hurt me today. Hundreds of eyes were on me, their vacant expressions turning into confusion. A knife had been stabbed into my gut and began to twist as I did what he told me. I felt the gnawing want of tears beginning to burn the back of my throat and sting my eyes. Those girls would be like me―trapped―unable to escape. I should've kept my mouth shut last night when Aro asked me about Jake! But, if I had then I would've been killed.

Jasper stepped forward. "My Lord, fifty women over a period of three months? It may be too late to bring them back alive. We don't know where they've gone, if they're even still in the city."

Would Jasper be able to talk him out of it?

"Jacob's flaw, our advantage, was he only bedded college students," Edward responded

"So, you wish us to capture fifty college women in one night?" Jasper asked, a challenge it seemed.

Edward said nothing. I tried to remain still, to not get up or protest anymore, but inside I was screaming.

"Without the use of Jacob's gift, it would be impossible without the humans catching on," someone shouted from the back of the crowd.

"We will be caught and then the world will know of us!" another added.

"The entire city will go into a state of panic," Jasper said, gesturing with his hands to Edward, almost a plea-like motion.

With every outburst of concern, Edward's expression deepened. I could almost feel the static charge of his anger tickling my skin, but the coven didn't see what I saw, nor were they concerned. Their voices rose, a gradual sound as though someone were twisting a volume knob. Jasper seemed to be the only quiet creature among the noise, aside from Edward. Even his face was calm and unaffected by the festering chaos of the horde behind him.

"You will do this for me!" Edward shouted above the roar, and second by second they quieted again. "You will do this for yourselves! And when you get back, our regulations will be changed. We must tighten our control."

A voice said. "Our methods have worked for nearly seventy years!"

Jasper shook his head. "Extraction is solid."

"It's not extraction I'm concerned with." Edward stood, and began to pace the platform, his hands resting behind his back. "Our current stock has been kept too long, their bodies are past their expiration date. Their blood is concentrated with sickness."

"We shall get more," Demetri said as he stepped forward. "We always have."

The coven agreed, but Edward shook his head. "It's not enough anymore. Word from the north is they've reaped the benefits of our mistakes. Our clients are going to other houses, complaining of our diseased blood! Our reputation has been shamed! If our blood is sickly, then who's to say they won't start feeding outside the walls?" He stopped, squared his shoulders and faced the vampires. "The solution is simple, though Aro never agreed. We can no longer bare teeth on skin."

There was a moment of hesitation, a break when no one seemed to exist in that room after he spoke those words. Then, if one hadn't been inside those walls, they would believe the ceiling was caving in. The riot didn't start as gradual noise, it was immediate and forceful. Their screams caused me to cover my ears, the low rumble penetrating deep into my skull, rattling my eardrums, the way a bass does inside a powerful stereo.

Their faces grew more and more furious, their brows pulling down and their teeth beginning to bare at the corners of their mouths as they spoke. How easily they could turn into a mob. How easy they would kill Edward, even with his power and station. I shook a little more. If they stood against Edward, if they killed him, what would become of me?

I caught eyes with Jasper, then. His red pupils widening, his lips puckering with anger like the rest of them, but he didn't verbally protest. I shifted to Edward, who in the corner of my eye stood stiff against the clamor, though his eyes were furious and pointed.

Before I could register his movements, the tile below the right throne began to crack. The grappled legs were ripped from their place. My heart and breathing accelerated and I stumbled down the steps, away from him and them. He threw the large throne into the coven causing them to part as it shattered on the floor. Two vampires, however, didn't clear and received the blunt end of Edward's anger. They were pushed back by the shattering wood and slid along the tile, almost meeting the entry doors.

His saw-like teeth bared against his lips, threatening and fierce. He didn't need to speak, and neither did they. Their commotion paused. My fingers were curled at my sternum, as if I could clutch my heart and keep it from pounding against my chest. Their voices quieted, their attention turning to the angry creature in front of them. Their master.

Edward's fingers found the buttons of his coat as he straightened his back. He pulled the opposing sides together, cinching them up. Finally, he tugged on the immaculate ends of his suit. "Find the humans," he said, pushing a claw-like hand through his messy hair which had come undone when the launched the now-broken chair. "Bring them to me alive."

"When do you wish us to go, sir?" Jasper asked.

"Dusk."

"And what of...?"

"Never mind the human reports! Track them! Purge the city, and do so without being seen! Let them believe what they must. Let them believe a human killer is on the prowl! They're young women, beautiful... they fit a profile! We must finish this tonight," Edward said. "We must correct Jacob's mistakes, use them to our advantage. This is how we'll revive the house."

The alabaster walls and columns of that room faded. Every form within disappeared, leaving me with nothing but the soft echo of his voice playing over and over again. It left me torn and barely able to breathe. The price for my confession against Jake Black was high. The remainder of my life had cost me fifty souls, and I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to forgive myself.

* * *

To some: I'm not the most reliable author, I know, but we will see the end of this story very soon. My family and my health are priorities one and two for me. Sadly, I think some people tend to forget that authors have other obligations to fulfill before updates. If you find this is a problem, then it's easily solved by waiting until I hit the 'complete' button. If you want to stop reading altogether, that's fine, too. Trust me, I understand. =)

To all: I appreciate your interest and your readership. Feel free to contact me on Twitter or Facebook (links are in my profile) for questions, concerns or whatever. Thank you!


	24. Walls of Stone, Walls of Glass

**Thank you, Livie and Sharon for being marvelous and solid. **

**Thanks to you for reading and showing your endless support.**

On Friday afternoon, I tweeted I would post the chapter that night, but decided to read it to Jase (my husband) first because I felt something was off with it. As always, he's my muse and the voice of reason, so I couldn't update without last minute clean up. It paid off.

I hope you enjoy. =)

* * *

**XXIV**

**Walls of Stone, Walls of Glass**

I slammed the door behind me. The entire time I followed him down the hall I threw invisible daggers into his back. I wanted to punch him in the face, or slowly strangle him to death, none of which would do any good. Slamming his door against the frame was the most I could do. To give a solid object the blunt force of my anger did the trick. The sound, the echo, caused me to clench my fists, preparing to fight.

"You can't do this!" I shouted, as he shrugged off his jacket then folded it neatly over his arm and began to unbutton his shirt.

His fingers flicked at each dark stud, his very apparent irritation finding its way out. His words were sharp, bordering on amused as he stared at the bathroom door. "You made me look like a fool in there."

I shook my head with narrow eyes. "That's not a difficult thing to do."

He flipped the last button from its place then yanked the shirt from his slacks. For a moment he became a stone statue, soaking in my insult. His scowl turned to a full sneer as he raised his arm above his head and hurled his jacket to the floor, creating a crumpled mess at his feet. Edward looked at me then, his eyes focused as he marched toward me. I shuffled from him until my back flushed against the door.

He didn't stop his advance until his face nearly touched mine. Cold breath skirted around my cheeks. "This is not a game, whether you want to believe it or not! This is life and death, and you're pissing it away!"

The proximity ignited me further. He had me pinned without even touching me and his scent gathered in my head. Earth and sweetness. Yellow and red flashed behind my closed lids, and when I opened them from the brief escape I pushed into his shoulders with open palms, not able to contain myself anymore. He didn't budge. "Don't you think I know that?!" I screamed, watching the lines of his expression twist with my words. My stomach turned to match. Yelling at him wouldn't solve the current problem, but he caused such rage. Backing down from what I believed in was never who I was, wasn't who I wanted to be, but I couldn't be a challenger anymore, not if I wanted him to see my side. I realized that. I began to soften. So, I relaxed my eyes, the sharp curve of my features and tried again. "I know it's not a game," I said. "I would be an idiot to believe otherwise, but you have to have some idea why I'm so upset."

"You're upset? You don't have an entire house turning against you, believing a human has control of their master! You didn't hear their thoughts when you decided to pull your little stunt! You've never seen upset until you've witnessed an angry coven overthrowing their lord! Are you trying to get us killed?!" His fist slammed against the door causing my whole body to vibrate. My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat. "Because if I die, then so do you."

He leaned in closer, his nose pressing against my cheek as I turned away from him. A cold gust hit my neck. I could feel his lips against my jaw, moving as he spoke. "They believe I've softened to you by allowing you to sleep in my room, to speak when you shouldn't, to stand over me." A single laugh, a burst of winter fell on my skin. "Do you believe I've gone soft?"

No. Never. "I would never believe that," I said.

He removed himself from me, then tilted his head to look at my face. "Then you'll know I care nothing for those women. Why bother to argue? Why fight the inevitable?"

"I don't know." But I did know. I just couldn't convince myself to say it outloud, to tell him that I hoped he would hear me and somehow change his mind because I was the reason for their death sentence. Several times I began to speak those words, to confess, but they never surfaced on my tongue while his cool breath acted as a ghost on my neck. So, instead I said, "They're important to me."

These words caused him to lean away. They pushed him when my physical force couldn't. The arm he braced himself with against the door lowered. "They're important to me, too." He stepped away from me, and I watched as he began to discard his black shirt onto the bed after picking the coat off the floor. "They will ensure the safety of this coven, this city, my reign, your life." He turned suddenly at those words. The lean, stiff muscles of his chest and shoulders flexed under his gray t-shirt. "That's what you want, isn't it? Your life?"

More than anything. I wanted to live, to see the outside world, for things to return to normal, but normalcy didn't exist anymore. It would never exist again. To live knowing vampires roamed the city, the planet, would consume my every thought, take over my daily life. I would become reclusive and live in fear. I would fear Edward finding me in the night. I couldn't stand the thought of him standing over me, ready to take me away again. A chill shook through my spine.

But, any life was better than no life at all, right? "Yes," I said, feeling the guilt beginning to swell inside my chest again. The price was high. "But not at the cost of other people's lives."

He grinned. "So, there it is. The reason for your fight. You feel guilty."

I didn't like the way his lips quirked in amusement, or the way his eyes danced. "Remorse isn't a bad thing. Don't make it out to be." I pushed off the door and took a step. "Don't you feel a speck of regret for the things you've done, for what you're doing now?"

"I don't feel anything anymore," he said, sliding his coat onto a hanger and pushing it between the other shirts and jackets inside his armoire. "Maybe a long time ago, but it's not anything you would understand."

"You'd be surprised."

"Must you insist everything you've experienced is the highest of all feelings and emotions? You've not lived until you've seen the world I saw, sacrificed what I did for the sake of king and country, just to survive."

"And all you have left to show for it is your rage against everything, right? Against humans because of the way you lived? What you once did for them?"

"What I did for myself!" He pointed at his chest, moving to the chair tucked under his desk. The loudness of his words caused me to step back. After staring at me for a moment, he pulled the wooden chair out and sat. "Never for your kind." He opened a folder, glanced inside then slammed it closed with his fist on top, rattling the contents of his desk. "If you've had enough of this, I have work to attend, files to review. Soon, everything will be right again." He stared at the warmer behind the mountains of beige folders. "You'll see."

His eyes, though red, became blank and empty. He wasn't trying to convince me. He was trying to convince himself everything would be alright because there was no hope for my people, for my life or those women he hunted. Edward only cared for himself.

I felt more alone in that moment than all other moments combined. Hopeless and through arguing, I pulled an antique, high-back chair, which sat next to the bookcase across the room, and placed it at the window then opened the curtains. I remained there until the afternoon turned to dusk, and dusk melted into night while Edward sifted through the stacks of folders. When the light began to fade, the energy in the air became less heavy, and I knew the coven was out in the world searching for the girls. Before we'd left the throne room earlier Edward told Jasper to lead them, watch over their actions and control their thirsts. The women were to arrive without marks, and to be unconscious through the use of drugs. _No mistakes, _he'd said.

Something was missing, a piece of information that had yet to be divulged or my mind refused to put together. Why did they have to be brought here because they consorted with Jake, if not for other purposes than blood and pleasure? Maybe the girls saw something which would expose the vampires? No. Gossip spread around the campus quickly. If something was out of the ordinary then it would've been said already. I would've been told to watch out for the creepy guy with sharp teeth next door because he may drink blood.

The more I thought about the situation, the sicker I became, the heavier I felt. The overwhelming sense of responsibility weighed me down and pushed so hard on my chest I could barely breathe. I began to wonder if I knew then what I knew now if I would change what I'd said. How different would my path be if I told Aro or Edward to go fuck themselves? How long would I have lived?

I was stupid enough to ask a question. An internal pondering which could've been kept just that: internal.

After a while, I grew tired of doing nothing, bored of watching the darkness pass outside and listening to papers flicking behind me. So, I lay down and covered up in the bed, surrendering to the exhaustion which overcame me.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open. I remembered the black mass conforming to my shape in a tight embrace then slinking away once again. No fear. No screaming, or panic. Only déjà vu. I'd seen that mass in my dreams before, wrapping around me the same way. At first I thought it was a nightmare, but it comforted me regardless of it's appearance. It covered my mouth and crept down my ribs. I held still. There was no danger.

Perhaps that's why I woke. The smoky creature, whatever it was, had coaxed me to open my eyes. I had a lapse of memory, briefly forgetting where I was. That one moment of complete serenity was taken away when I heard a click followed by a creak. I lay still, curious as to what made the sound before I saw Edward, shirtless, standing outside the bathroom door, holding his hand – palm up – into the dim light.

I thought nothing of it, and my eyes began to close again.

A female voice woke me completely. I knew it immediately. Rosalie. My first instinct was to flip the sheets off and bound across the cold floor to wrap her in my arms. I missed her. She'd kept me sane in a room full of hypnotized women. Surprisingly enough, she was the normal one. I hadn't seen her in days! I wondered how she was, how Alice was doing.

But, I didn't get up. Instead, I held still, intrigued by her presence in Edward's room. I folded the covers down slightly, just enough to peek over the mountain of fabric and fluff. Rosalie, dressed in her gown, with her hands folded in front of her, looked around the room, soaking in the richness of Edward's tastes while he stalked behind her, matching her slow steps. She didn't look the same as before. Had she been eating? Was she sick? Her high cheek bones protruded from under her white skin. What was she doing in the bathroom? Better yet, what was she doing in here?

An uneasy, metallic scent caught my attention and set my nerves on edge. That smell. I knew it. The same smell in Jake's apartment.

"It's time, isn't it?" she asked, allowing her eyes to wander for another second before facing Edward. His eyes were on her, recessed under his heavy brow. Her frizzy, golden curls hung on her shoulders, but he flicked it back with his fingers, creating a thick curtain of hair flowing down the middle of her back.

"Yes," he said.

Time for what?

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body against his black pants and pale torso. His nostrils flared against her cheek. As if an immediate reaction, she exposed the side of her neck to him. I froze, my breaths stinted and shallow. His hand moved up her back and pulled her hair to the side, revealing her throat.

I didn't understand. Why? Why would he be doing that to her, and why would she let him?

His long fingers became claws, clinging to her back as he ran his nose from her throat to her shoulder then retraced. He pulled on her thin frame, stretched his lips and teeth over the flesh of her neck then sunk into her. My heart began to race and my eyes grew wide as I watched behind the safety of the sheets. Her once-limp arms flexed as she began to touch his shoulders, cheek and hair. I thought she meant to push him away, but she pulled on him, inviting him.

I should've done something! Any other time, any other vampire, I would've pulled them away from her and stood between them. I had everything to lose when Felix hit Alice across the face, but I still stood up to him. My vision blurred as hot tears began to form. I blinked them away, unable to look anywhere else.

Why couldn't I stand up to him anymore? Why had I changed?

Her exposed skin became more pale, but still I did nothing! I ducked further. Edward looked up then, as if I caught his attention, but he didn't remove his mouth. He clung to her like a leech, sucking and pulling. He stared. I stared. I couldn't find the courage to look away. I kept telling myself to move, but another second passed and I remained still. Her hands grew limp, her skin more white. I remained. He was killing her...

She'd grown so death-like it was what she became. Death. He pulled himself from her, his lips and teeth stained with her life. That's when I sat up, when it was too late. His eyes still held me. Gravity pulled tears down my cheeks. _Why did you do that?, _was all I could ask.

He allowed her to fall from his arms and she hit the floor with a horrifying thud. I slunk out of bed and crawled across the pinching cold floor to gather her limp head into my lap. Under thin lashes and lax lids, her nearly-violet eyes stared at the ceiling. For a moment, one foolish moment, I held hope she wasn't dead. I touched her lips, hoping to feel breath, but there was nothing. No joy or love or wisdom. No smile. Nothing. Emptiness. How could she be there one moment, then gone the next? It didn't make sense. Her golden hair was dry, almost like straw on my legs. I looked up at Edward. His stare was already on me.

"Why did you do that?!" I screamed.

He didn't answer, only moved away as a drop of red hit his collarbone and began to trickle. His entire chest had been stained red, and his eyes were a dark burgundy; not fresh and bright like before I went to sleep. My lower lip trembled and I bit down to keep it still. I stroked Rosalie's cold cheek. I'd never seen anyone die. Dad talked about it before to Mom when he came home late at night when I was younger, when their marriage was still solid. I'd listen from the door of my room when they thought I was asleep. From the way he'd described it he made it sound natural and easy. _Another biker going too fast, _he'd say, or _a logging truck turned over and killed two people, Mr. Simmons had a heart attack. _Death had never been a big deal while he wore his uniform. Of course, that was before his friend drowned my freshman year of high school. He'd been night fishing. They never found his body. After that, Dad was never the same. Death didn't seem natural. It was out of place and strange. One person could only withstand so much before breaking.

I wanted to tell Rose how sorry I was, even though it was no use. She'd never hear me. My sadness began to burn

I set her head on the floor. It rolled to one side and her mouth fell open. The teeth marks on her neck were horrendous and deep. I slid my fingertips over her lids. I hoped there was an afterlife, a dream to wake to and take her away from the nightmare. My blurred vision found it's way along the floor toward the piano, but something there caught my eye. Tufts of red spilled along the wood.

I blinked away the swell of tears on my lower lid. It fell to my cheek as I began to crawl away from Rosalie and to the opposite side of the bed.

Bile rose in my throat at the sight of Victoria's, lifeless face and Leah's ashen skin stacked over her. Zafrina and Tanya were thrown on top of them, both dead. Alice, with a bloody face, covered them all with her arms outstretched. Blood spattered their skin. Other nameless faces were behind them, next to the nightstand. There must've been ten of them. All dead. Drained!

I cupped my palms over my mouth and nose. I didn't want to believe what I saw. He'd killed them! He drank them away as though they were nothing! Slowly, the sadness burned away until I felt the numbing heat of anger coursing through my cheeks. I steadied myself when I rose to my feet.

"Why are you doing this!?" I cried, clenching my fists and turning to stare at him. When he didn't answer I swung my fist, hoping to connect with his jaw, but he caught it and pushed me away like I was a bug. "Why?! You could've let them go!"

"Still hell bent on rescuing something you can't possibly save?" he asked, then stroked his palm down his mouth and chin. By then, the blood had already begun to dry. Most of it remained, but the wet smeared, further staining his skin. His chest. That was why his chest was red. He was covered in their blood. I took a step back hardly believing he could drink them all. "You should've stopped me when you had the chance."

I wrapped my arms around myself.

"I saw your eyes on her and you did nothing."

"Stop," I said.

"You know what that means? You're just as bad as me."

"I couldn't!" I screamed, and flung myself forward, pushing into his chest. He held me there. My knees began to grow weak. "I couldn't move!" That admittance pulled on me, shoved me into the darkness as he locked my hands to his and refused to release. I was a monster. A selfish, cowardly monster. He was right. I was no better than him.

I tried to pull away, but with a flick of his hands he gripped my wrists and pinned them to my hips. I didn't have the strength to fight him off. I felt the cold from his body through the thin material clinging to my skin.

I closed my eyes. My knees weakened and I began to fall to the floor. And just like that, he won.

"No, no. You can't give up on me now, Miss Swan. We've barely begun to extinguish our time together." He wrapped his arm around my waist and threw me over his shoulder. The sharpness of his bone dug into my soft gut, making me want to vomit. I watched the grains of the wood pass, then Rosalie. Another tear.

He lowered me, though I could barely sit upright. Cold stung my feet and my bottom. He'd put me in the chair between the bath and wall. He opened the cabinets under the sink, pulling out a white towel, tucked it under his arm then reached for something else.

He hung the folded towel over the side of the white, claw tub and lowered himself to eye level, balancing on his toes as he squatted in front of me. He unwrapped a thin bar of packaged soap and waved it in front of my nose. Flowers. It woke me. A slight brightness pushing against the dim lighting.

He balanced the soap on top of the towel then held up a small, travel-size shampoo bottle so I could get a good look. The cap twisted off under his touch and he held it to my nose as he did with the bar. I took the scent into my lungs. I'd forgotten how those things smelled, how normal they used to be. He screwed the top back on as my eyes wandered from him to the items on the tub. "I knew you'd like that," he said with a blood-stained grin. "A hot bath will do you good."

Edward placed his hands on the chair next to my hips. His rough skin pinned my thighs together, and my jaw rattled from the bitter touch. I couldn't look at him, so I focused on my knees.

"You're not fragile," he said softly. "So don't pretend to be now." With that, he abandoned me in the corner and walked to the counter, pushing the cabinet door closed with his knee. A rush of water filled the bathroom and he pulled a washcloth from the small pile next to the sink. He leaned forward over the waist-high counter. The vanity lights washed over his angular features and smooth skin. I watched him in the mirror, turning his face from side to side as his hands worked the cloth under the running water. His back and shoulders flexed with each movement.

He shut it off and wrung the water from the rag. With slow motions he began to wipe his cheeks and chin, careful and thorough as if he were a gentleman shaving.

I bit my lip, feeling the overwhelming urge to release my emotions. Regret fastened to my lower eyelid. "Why didn't you let them go?" I asked.

"Why release them when I could have a feast?" He leaned forward on one arm, the meat of his bicep flexed from the weight as he partially turned to look at me. "One of the many benefits of becoming a master." He faced the mirror again.

"Blood you didn't need. You can't think of anything else."

"Why should I? If it belongs to me then I will take advantage of it."

"If you enjoy blood so much why not go out there," I said, meaning beyond the walls, "and drink? Why waste your time in here?"

He finished cleaning his chin, so he began to stroke his collarbone and chest. "It's about quality, not quantity. Do you feel special, knowing you were hand-selected?"

"Your process of hand selecting ruins lives. You're just a thief."

"A thief? If I recall correctly, I didn't bring you here."

"No, but you're keeping me in this prison," I said.

He rinsed the rag then spread it flat on the counter. "Well, it's too late to let you go now," he responded as he turned and leaned. His chest was clean, like the massacre had never happened.

I shook my head. "It's never too late."

Edward crossed his arms over his torso. "A touching sentiment for old humans hoping to fulfill their dreams before they die, but it doesn't work here."

"But, they won't remember anything. The hypnosis."

"You think this has to do with memory? Oh, Bella. I've forgotten how little you know." Suddenly, he was in front of me again, kneeling as before with his hands on the sides of the chair.

My hands trembled.

"You're not like them," he said softly, and motioned in the direction of his bedroom with a single nod of his head. "You're not fragile. You're strong-minded. More so than any human I've ever met, I'll give you that. Believe it or not, I fancy your spirit. But, even though you're awake, you know nothing about this place. You defend something you can't control. These women can't be saved." He paused, gauging my stare, but I produced nothing. I felt nothing. "Have you ever wondered why we do this? Why we keep a bank instead of drinking outside these walls?"

I shook my head causing a tear to fall from the motion. It slid slowly down my cheek. Rosalie once said we were saving people, but I never believed that. I often wondered why she accepted that excuse, but the answers I gave myself were never clear.

"You've never been curious about female vampires?" he asked.

"Female vampires?" I looked into his eyes, curious.

"There are none here. Do you find it odd?"

It was never important. A coven entirely male didn't seem strange to me, especially when they were surrounded by human women. I shook my head again. "It doesn't matter," I said. The words were hoarse and thick.

"It's all that matters. If vampires could live without human blood, then it would be different. Our hunger is more intense than yours. We _have _to feed. It's why we keep these houses, these wards. It's why these women are contained, cataloged, put under and placed in our control. We have to control them."

I understood the concept of a blood bank, and maybe that's what Rosalie meant. We were sacrificing ourselves so other people could live. But... "What does that have to do with female vampires?"

"They're changing, Bella. They've all been bitten. If I allow them freedom, the entire city will be at risk. Without our treatment, the venom will take over."

My skin prickled in response to his words. "Treatment?" The room felt smaller. "What treatment?"

"The water you drink. It's a something Carlisle came up with. It keeps them alive; helps fight the venom, but it's not a cure. It's temporary." He paused, searching my eyes again. "If allowed to live they would become vampires. True monsters, the likes of which you can't even imagine."

They would become vampires. If they were bitten they'd turn. Panic found me again. "But not me, though," I said, reassuring myself and folding my arms across my lap as my stomach began to turn. "I'm fine. I feel fine."

"You're not fine, Bella. Everyday your body fights. Without the water, you'll be dead within days, weeks if you're lucky. But the others? If I hadn't drained them then we'd all be dead. Same with the women Jacob slept with. If he bit them, and they're in the world without our help, then L.A. will pay the price. It would be riddled with undead."

I felt my face begin to pull down, an ache swelling inside my gut and pulsing through my arms. It caught in my throat and stung until it faded with tears. I swallowed and realized what this meant. My fate had always been sealed. Death, in either form, began in the house. "But you said... you told me the first night I woke up, after you bit me... you said it takes more than a bite."

I could hardly breathe. The world pressed onto my chest. The dim lights grew darker. My hand found my collarbone and I clutched at my skin. I craved oxygen; I felt I didn't have enough.

He drew closer, his thighs skirting the outside of my calves. He leaned in. "It does take more than a bite. It takes time."

I began to lose myself. He grabbed my wet cheeks between his palms and shushed me with nothing but gentleness. Not anger or pain, but understanding. My tears emerged again, blurring his face and the bathroom. I fell apart. He shushed me once more and pushed away the hair stuck to my wet cheeks.

"We are so very alike," he whispered. "Don't you see we need each other? I need your blood more than I've needed anything else, and you need my help to keep that parasite from killing you. Don't worry. I won't let that happen." My lips fell between his palms as I found a breath, sucking it deep into my lungs. My tongue gathered the musk. Freshly dug earth and an overwhelming bite of pine. It tasted of him, his hands. I gave him all my weight, feeling as though I would die right there in that cold bathroom. Edward pushed my head upright and I felt him lean forward, his breath against my face. Snake-like fingertips held the back of my neck, the icy touch pushing behind my ears as he pulled me forward.

"I'm not in the habit of making promises," he whispered, and I choked on a cry, cutting him off. I didn't want to hear him anymore. Everything he said twisted my stomach. "But, you carry my precious blood and you have nothing to fear. I only want you to live. To be well." A violent cold overcame me. Panic and desperation had made my breaths ragged, and when I opened my eyes, I was met with his. He rested his forehead against mine. His embrace, though as gentle as I'd ever seen him, was unpleasant. He smirked with happiness, amusement, but his words were acrid to me. "That first night when I tasted you... I knew I had to have you to myself. To drink you. Feel you skin on my lips. And your silence... it's all I ever wanted."

A soft, long moan rose from his throat. My eyes closed. A chill caused me to tremble. I wanted him to stop, to leave me in the dim light and never bother me again. "I never knew someone like you existed," he continued. "It's like you were born for me. Don't you see why I couldn't let them have you?"

He wiped my cheeks with his thumbs before letting his hands fall, then stood. I thought the air would come back once he moved away, but it remained shallow and sour. My weight tipped me forward, but I righted myself quickly, falling against the back of the chair. "I need to make a trip to the furnace, so I'm going to keep you in here until I get back." He nodded once then shut the door behind him. A rough scrape could be heard right after, followed by a click of the handle.

My chin fell to my collarbone, my eyes landing on my lap and stomach. Inside me. The venom was inside me. It didn't matter if I escaped now. The damage was irreversible. I was dying. I would die inside the manor walls, but not before I gave Edward every last drop of my blood. I began to claw at the gown hanging on my body, pulling it in two different directions. Blank spaces cushioned my endless thoughts. No answers, only questions of pain and how long I had. Face hot and vision blurred, I wanted out of the material. My heavy breaths pulled me under, created noises in the back of my throat until a cry filled the bathroom.

The gown hit the floor, the bitter air biting and raising my skin. I shivered in the cold. Disbelief clouded everything. Never in a million years would I believe my life would end at the teeth of a vampire, even if I knew they were real. It would happen to other people. Not me. It would never affect my family or my life, but there I stood; naked and exposed without a cure, and without a chance. My long-lost freedom became sore and faded until there was nothing left except the raw burn of my only escape.

Death.

Could I still die on my own terms? Could I take my own life, not giving Edward the chance to drink another drop from my body? He would have the bags in his refrigerator to keep him warm. Only in death would I win my freedom.

* * *

If you haven't seen it yet, and want to, the_ House of the Horde_ "trailer" is linked on my profile.


	25. Damned Damsel

IMPORTANT:

I fear I must do something I rarely do: give you a warning. If you've ever at all had any strong inclinations to end your life (or cut, this may apply) and feel reading about it from a first person perspective would cause you to harm yourself, then please don't read. If you don't want to read about this type of subject matter at all because of whatever reason then please forget this exists. Although it's short, it's not without purpose for those who can continue with no issues.

* * *

XXV

Damned Damsel

Minutes expired. The floor, icy at first, had grown warm, but my naked back became chilled and numb. I lay there with my feet flat and knees up for so long I felt I'd become part of the construction. I stared at the ceiling, tracing every bump along the smooth surface in the dim lights with nothing except my thoughts to keep me company. I heard a faint, smooth and soft noise begin to invade my small silence. I thought for a moment I knew what it was, but I couldn't stand that thought. Edward... dragging bodies. It was probably right.

I covered my eyes when tears formed, catching them before they could roll down my cheek. Never had death been so immediate. It never touched me until I came here. It happened to other people. Not me. I couldn't be so foolish to think it would never happen. We all die, but I never imagined it would border supernatural or be so close to when I felt fully alive. College life had just started it seemed, and I thought I would do great things with my degree. I'd always imagined my life as successful. I would design and build until I was old and could only draw jagged lines on paper.

No.

I would die. I'd be lost. No body. No funeral. I would disappear without a trace. I wondered how many women before me had felt the same despair same inside those walls.

An urgent breath of tears begin to overwhelm me once more. I didn't stop them. I allowed them to fall. I allowed myself to cry. It felt better to do so.

I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to stay Edward's "pet" and satisfy him with my blood, either. I didn't want to feel the overwhelming sting of fresh venom as it coated my tender veins anymore. He would run my body into the grave. He would take until I had no more to give. Edward would kill me. My thoughts lingered on those last words. He would drink me dry then feed me to the furnace below the floors, just as he'd done with the other girls.

If I stayed, if I accepted that fate, then it would become reality. It would devour me.

My only other option involved an escape. I could slip out a window if he only left me alone for a short while. I'd run through the trees and find somewhere to hide, but that idea dissolved just as quickly as it surfaced. The moment he found me missing, he'd track my scent. He'd find me like some monster from a nightmare. He would drag me back into the house and continue to torture me with closed spaces and endless schemes to keep me alive.

Alive. The word meant nothing as I sat up, feeling the stiff, rigid tile still eating away at my back as though it had burned a memory. I stood with some help from the claw-foot tub. It kept me steady, kept me from sinking onto my knees from the weight of certainty because even if I were to escape... even if he never found me, I would still fall victim to him. His venom still coursed through my veins, and no matter how far away I ran or hid in the shadows, he would follow.

Without his help to hold off the effects, I would turn into a monster the same as him. I would crave blood, never sleep or dream anymore. I wondered if I were still enough, if I could feel the venom cutting through my body, but I felt nothing except the cool air against my wet cheeks and the hair clinging to them.

Maybe Edward had been wrong. I didn't feel different. Maybe weaker from the inactive days and nights, the horrible food, the rigorous beating I'd been subjected to, the blood drained... replaced with toxins from his mouth. No. He could've been wrong, but when I stumbled to the mirror hanging above the sink and counter, I knew he wasn't. I couldn't feel it, but I saw it staring back at me from the eyes of a poor girl, the same sickly face that found me in Royce's room. Shadows formed against her cheeks. Her hair, once shiny and fluffy in the L.A. sun, had grown dull and flat. While her skin remained smooth, it no longer blushed. Her tan had faded into something less. She looked like a vampire that hadn't eaten, that had been barren without a drop to help cure the effects of starvation.

I hated that stupid girl. Why couldn't she just say 'no' to Jake Black? Why couldn't she resist the charm he oozed? Stupid girl. Foolish, gullible girl. It was her fault I was trapped here with a monster, with my life hanging by a thread. My breaths were heavy, aching. They burned my chest.

She mocked me. She reminded me of the pain and regret souring inside my mind. If it weren't for her, then life would be normal! Stupid girl. Stupid, stupid girl! I hated her! I swelled with anger, my body flitting with rage. I wanted to be rid of her! I wanted to pound the mirror until only one of us remained! Without another thought I sneered, drawing my fists back and bringing them onto the mirror. Flesh met glass with a tremendous noise and I gasped at the force I'd given it, feeling a pointed bite against the meat of my fist.

I'd fractured the mirror. Many sets of noses, lips and eyes were scattered across the glass as I drew back and pulled out the tiny shard buried in my skin. A small bead of blood took it's place, and I discarded the tiny piece into the sink.

I sucked the metallic droplet between my lips, drawing it from the tiny opening and muttering 'ouch' over and over again until it dawned on me.

I lowered my hand and stared at the split girl, studying the sharp points of the fragments, noting their piercing potential. I knew then I still had one more option. I'd thought of it earlier, before giving myself to the floor. I could spill my blood and the venom so I wouldn't turn. I could escape Edward, and the only reminder he'd have of me is that single bag in his refrigerator. He would lose. I would die, but I would be free.

I stepped to the door, pressing my ear against the wood to listen for any noises that suggested he'd heard the incident. Nothing. No sound. There was a good chance he was still in the basement.

I stole the chair from the corner of the room and anchored the high back under the door knob, securing its position against the edge of the tile. _Perfect __fit__. _It wouldn't stop Edward from coming inside the room, but it would keep him from just walking through the door. He wouldn't stop me that time. Back at the sink, I leaned over the counter and began to pick at the fragments, hoping to free a large enough shard. It was no use. It would need to be split again. I balled my hands then slammed the side of them into the glass again as hard as I could. Another bee sting. I cursed, but didn't bother pulling it out that time because I'd achieved my goal through the noise. I'd broken it.

I began to chip away with my nails, the edges clipping my tender fingertips and every time it happened I drew back, only to begin once more. Urgency and panic began to claw at my chest, causing my heart to race with the fear of being caught. The pads of my fingers were raw and bloody. I couldn't do it anymore, and just as that thought passed a palm-sized shard and smaller piercing fragments tumbled into the sink, clanking like broken bells. I cringed at the sound, but picked up the larger piece with shaky fingers, holding it carefully. I stared at it's razor-sharp end, knowing it would slice through my skin efficiently. The pain would be tremendous. I knew that. Although I didn't know how great. I'd never contemplated searing my own flesh until that moment.

I turned away from the broken mirror, staring at the glass and my wrist. I knew nothing of suicide or how to do it. I'd never heard Dad talk about it because I don't think he ever went to calls like that. Maybe sleepy, small towns didn't experience such pain and measures. The only thing I knew was I had to cut vertical, though I was never sure why. I never questioned. I pressed the pointed edge of glass to my wrist, intending to bury and slice, but I hesitated.

Tears blurred my vision at the already pressing pain on my skin. It would be more, and I feared that more than death.

That very moment, a knocking penetrated the room. "What was that?" Edward's asked. "What was that noise?"

The urgency grew. It was then or never. It was the monster or me. "Nothing," I responded, pressing the glass into my skin, and puncturing. I hissed. Tears and blood fell, spilling over.

"It was _not_ _nothing_." The knob rattled. The door pressed against the chair. "The fu... open this door, Bella!"

I said nothing. I tried to take a deep breath through my nose and out through my mouth, hoping to work through the mentality of pain and the wolf huffing and puffing at the door. _You __have __to__. __You __have __to __do __it __now__!_

The glass felt unbelievably cold as I pressed it back to the puncture I'd already made. Blood still perked swiftly from the small hole.

The door shook with violence, nearly ripping the chair from it's secure place between the knob and tile. "Open this fucking door!" he yelled, and it sounded as though he were inside the bathroom!

My breaths were quick and shallow until panic froze me. I tightened my grip on the jagged glass and bore weight into my flesh. _Vertical__. __Cut __vertical__._

"Bella! Open this door!" Edward screamed through the wood and pounded! The room shook! It would break!

I closed my eyes. My mouth fell open as the pain seared the flesh on my wrist, and I let out a cry. Warmth gushed from the open wound, and spilled over the sides. I opened my eyes to see red spattering on the floor. I'd done it, but the cost was an unbearable burn. Blood flooded my palm and my hand grew weak. My entire forearm seared and already I felt I would fall over.

The pounding on the door stopped, but it continued through my chest as my heart pumped the blood through my veins and out of my body. That was it. I'd done it. I would die and be at peace. I would be rid of him. There was nothing he could do to stop it now.

Tears pricked my eyes and I squeezed my lids together for an instant, breathing harshly through the open, silent air as the glass slipped from my hand and clanked to the floor. An explosion sent the chair into the clawed tub, disintegrating its joints when it hit. Edward stood behind what remained of the door. He had plowed through it with a swift kick, separating the metal hinges from the now-splintered wood.

As soon as he saw what I'd done his expression changed from angry to something else entirely. His eyes became wide, his lips parted, baring his teeth as he rushed to my side. He picked up the towel from the side of the tub and throwing it under me, catching the steady lines of red.

"What have you done?!" he said through gritted teeth, as though he were about to foam at the mouth.

"It's too late," I said in a whisper, beginning to shake, feeling my knees weaken.

He brought my arm to his lips and dragged his languid tongue over the fresh wounds, the tip finding it's way into my split, vulnerable skin. The sting intensified, causing my mouth to drop once more with an cry. My voice filled the room, impaled the walls! His tongue flicked out, and passed once again, full and wide over the opening. With that exposure I gasped, wanting to push him away. "Burns doesn't it?" he said as he picked up the rag sitting on the counter and draped it over the searing heat, pressing on it as he held my forearm.

The burn moved toward my shoulder. I cried out.

"You deserve every amount of pain you feel right now," he said. "You've forced me to do this! Goddammit, Bella!"

His voice seemed more harsh than the cuts I'd made, or the fresh venom from his tongue. I wanted to curl inside myself and never resurface. I simply wished to fade away, to no longer exist inside the confines of the life that had been chosen for me. The sting had become so unbearable. My arm would burn into ash and fall off! Darkness began to take me, and I felt the weight of my body slipping into a hole, but I was caught and held against fleshy ice. Was that death? Was it so easy? Part of me tried to hang onto the antique glow of the bathroom, but the more dominant, the more reasonable said 'let go'. A faint pulse swished through my ears, and I did it. I let go, slipping far away into a world without dreams, without daylight.

* * *

Good news is, another update isn't far behind this one. I'll try to get it out this week or next Monday, depending.

Thank you Livie and Sharon for reading the rough drafts and bearing with me while I sort-out the words. It means so much. My husband is owed thanks, too. He read this chapter, looked at me and shook his head, saying I obviously didn't know a damn thing about breaking stuff.

He was right.


	26. Poisoned Apple

XXVI

_Poisoned Apple_

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

That noise... it plunged me from darkness, a darkness which felt never-ending. Forever and eternal.

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

Each bleep more excessive than the last. Constant and unchanging waves beckoned me. A pointless SOS signal. My alarm clock! The one my mom had given me. _I'm going to be late for class!_ I wanted to reach to my nightstand. It would be right there. I would reach, hit the snooze button and that would be it. Silence. I wanted to roll over, raise my arm, but I couldn't! My arm wouldn't work!

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

Lights pressed against my heavy, sullied eyes. Bright, sharp, blinding lights. I turned my head, succumbing to the weight and pain pulsing through my skull. The argent surroundings branded an image into my lids, adding to the ache. For a simple moment I thought I'd died. I was sure if I was dead I wouldn't be able to feel the sticky heat against my skin, or the thickness clinging to my throat as though it was lined with syrup. A roar of discomfort coursed through my arm and shoulder.

With caution, I began to open my eyes again. A white, tile ceiling hung overhead, bearing the bright fluorescent which stung and prodded my vision. I squirmed and squinted against them, placing my gaze straight instead of up. White walls and cabinets with glass inserts. Recognition set it. I'd seen that place before. Smelled it. The cold raised my skin.

Purgatory. Stuck somewhere between Heaven and Hell. I began to move against the never-ending, high-pitched tone that came and went in unison. That beeping. Second by second, bleep after bleep, I pushed against the thick cloud of grogginess, finding the world I'd been placed in. When I followed my bicep to my forearm, I discovered the problem. I lay in a hospital bed, my wrists strapped to my side by brown cuffs. An IV with a red tube stuck out of my right hand. I shivered, following the tube to a metal rod with two hooks at the top, each holding a bag; one red, and one clear. Both were connected with a Y-shaped line.

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

They came faster. My throat began producing sounds which I wanted to form into words, but couldn't. My breaths were short and small. I swallowed against the thickness. It didn't go away, and I wanted to raise my hands again. I began to squirm, feeling constricted and claustrophobic. I needed to be out!

An icy, alabaster hand came down upon my clammy forehead, blocking the bright lights hovering above. I stilled. "Don't move," a deep voice said.

But, I wanted to move. I wanted to be rid of the fog, and through my haze I asked 'what', but the barely audible question remained unfinished. _What's happening?,_ I meant to ask. My tongue refused to create the sounds.

The voice answered, "You're in the basement. You're safe, but I need you to remain calm."

Safe and cold didn't fit together. In my world, they'd become opposites. His face was blocked at first, so I couldn't make out the features of the creature hovering above me. He lowered his hand. Chiseled, angular, handsome and very blond. The memory of him leaning into me began to appear. His face, for a blood sucker, was astounding, as though he belonged in L.A., in movies or magazines. Carlisle. Yes, I remembered Carlisle. Strangely, _safe_ began to feel like an appropriate word. His eyes, even though red, were gentle. Not piercing like Edward's. His teeth weren't as sharp, and almost seemed human, if not for those fang-like incisors.

"Do you recall what happened?"

My wrist. The moment flooded back to me. I had cut it with glass. Edward had rushed in. Searing pain burned into my mind, flooded my arm once more. A ghost. Everything else after was black. "It's fuzzy," I murmured, finding my voice.

"You tried to kill yourself," Carlisle said, not even looking at me. He gave his focus to a light-blue rectangle positioned around the red line hanging from the maroon pouch.

Blood... a bag of blood. "Edward healed you before it was too late, but the stress on your body was overwhelming. You lost consciousness."

"I'm not dead." The revelation tore me. I thought when I blacked out that was it. I thought that had been the end. No more nightmares, just the final cusp of life. I would only need a simple push to fall into death. But I hadn't died. I'd been preserved. Kept alive against my will.

"You were close. You're fighting the venom, still. Edward kept a bag of your blood in his personal reserve, which I've transfused into your body. It held off the effects of The Change for a while. I had no choice but to give you a pint of universal blood, which I started a few moments ago. Have you ever had a transfusion before?"

My weak gaze wandered for a moment before settling on him again. Transfusion? I'd never been to the hospital for anything serious. Fractured bones, but nothing more. I shook my head.

"Your file said you weren't allergic to anything, but donor blood is different. If you have a reaction it could further damage your body's defense against the venom. Then, there would be nothing I could do to stop it. The first fifteen minutes are crucial." He pushed the sleeve of my gown up my bicep, as though he were examining my skin. "So far, you appear fine."

I didn't want my body to fight. Why couldn't I slip away? I just wanted to be rid of that never-ending bad dream. "Please," I whispered. "Please, just let me die. That's all I want. I can't." I swallowed. "I can't do this anymore."

I saw sadness in those cherry eyes. Mercy. "I'm sorry," he shook his head. "It's not what _he_ wants. If I let you die, he'll surely kill me, and I care too much for my existence to end yours."

My face grew hot. Tears dominated my vision and I closed my eyes, turning my head away so he wouldn't see me cry.

"I am sorry."

"Can you at least let my hands go?"

"Not until you're stable."

I rolled my head back around to him. "I can't be tied like this." I closed my eyes, furrowing my brow as another tear fell. "I feel claustrophobic and sick."

"There is nothing I can do. Not until this transfusion is finished."

It seemed they were going to make sure I survived. No opportunities for my own sabotage. "How long?"

He looked at the gleaming watch on his wrist. "About forty-five minutes. I'll check your vitals. Prick your finger to test your blood. If it's okay then I'll flush the line and you'll be done." He turned and walked over to the sink, filling a clear plastic cup with water. I watched as he set it down to pull a small, amber cylinder from a cabinet above his head. A clinking filled the room for a moment before he placed the bottle back. He took up the water and stepped to my side. "Your bag would've been enough had Edward not injected more venom into your body to stop the bleeding. Now, it's about balance. Blood to venom. The blood must be greater to hold off death." Carlisle showed me the white, circular pills in his palm. "You must take this."

My brow creased under curiosity. "What's that?"

"Long term, the venom is lethal as you're well aware by now. You need every advantage to fight it. This is a concentrated ward, the chance for your body to withstand the eventual effect. I've already given you an injection of this before the transfusions. Take it as a precaution. Nothing more." He raised his palm again, an offer for me to open my mouth, but I shook my head.

"No, I... I feel fine. I'm feeling better already." It wasn't just the pills, though I'd never been a huge fan of them. My hope shifted toward failure. If I didn't swallow those, then perhaps my body would die, but death and release seemed like a distant dream. My body clung to life. It would skirt the edges only to find a solid hold. I wouldn't die.

"As I said, a precaution."

My lips parted and he dropped the two circles onto my tongue, offering me the cup of water right after. He pressed the plastic to my lips, tilting it. I swished the chalky tablets down quickly, but it was already too late. The anti-venom had already left their bitter impression from sitting in my mouth a few seconds too long.

I finished off the water, feeling unbelievably thirsty. Carlisle waited patiently, then rolled the plastic off my bottom lip. His face was kinder than Edward's. Was he a prisoner, too? Trapped in the eerie conditions of the basement?

"So, I'm not turning?" I asked.

He reached for my confined hand and pulled a gray clamp away from my index finger. The incessant beeping stopped. He rolled the wire up and shut off a machine beside the bed. He crossed his arms over his baby-blue sweater and took a step back. "Time will tell, but the outlook is good. Get some rest in the meantime."

I sighed and stared at the ceiling while he stood next to me, messing with the bag and tubes. The lights really were too bright so I closed my eyes, trying to commit myself to that room. Reality hit. "What if I have to..." how could I put it? "...use the bathroom?"

"You have a catheter."

My breaths grew very still. He said it as though it was no big deal. "What?" Catheter. "You put... you touched...?" A new heat scorched me. My face felt like it was on fire.

"Relax, Bella."

"Relax?" I wanted to laugh, but nothing was funny. I felt violated. Was nothing private? Stupid leeches! "I just..." I couldn't even finish my sentence. My stomach soured and I wanted to vomit. "I feel violated." I shook my head. The thought of him doing that...

"It was either the catheter, or excrements all over the bed. You can imagine my conflict. I chose the lesser evil."

He had a point, but it didn't make me feel any better. Between the catheter, the transfusion, the strangling venom ghosting from my fingertips to my shoulder, and the emptiness sucking on my rib cage, I managed to close my eyes for a few moments. Minutes passed that way, in silence, in my own, personal darkness. I even fell asleep a few times, but woke right after, startled awake by unknown things. Carlisle sat just outside his lab doors, always watchful.

I closed my eyes again, then opened them to him at my bedside, tinkering with the bags. The labeled, blood bag had dissolved, so he took it away, clamping the tube shut and pulling it from the Y-shaped line. "I need you to be very still," he directed, laying a flat palm on my sternum, between my breasts. Once again, my breath stumbled. "Breathe," he instructed.

I did. Slowly, fully, normally. He shut his eyes and stilled. His brows pulled down, ticked, and he stayed like that for a few seconds. "Vitals sound good. Let's check your blood."

At the counter, he pulled out a drawer next to the sink. A second later it closed. He'd found what he was looking for. A finger-pricker-thing. Something I hated since I was a kid. I cringed as he un-cuffed my wrist. I considered hiding my hand under my back so he couldn't get it, but I didn't. He lifted and parted my middle finger from the rest. Appropriate. The little rectangle sat against the side of my fingertip. I knew what would come next.

_CLICK!_

The bee-sting startled me and my pulse began to come alive in that finger as he pumped the flesh, coaxing beads of blood to the surface. The pain passed as he took my fingertip into his mouth. His cold tongue caressed the peak of my nail as he nursed the blood from the puncture. Straight teeth edged my skin. Bent over in the stillness, I could feel the pull of him through my hand, stealing the bit of life he'd just revived. My index finger feather-touched the side of his lip as he released. For a moment, I thought he meant to continue as if he didn't have enough, but he lowered my hand, pulling on his bottom lip with his ivory fangs. "I can't taste the venom."

I nodded and swallowed as he cuffed my hand again. He rolled the clear tube open, allowing the watery liquid to drip from the pouch. "When this line is clear, I'll uncuff you. Are you hungry? Should I have some food brought? It would do you good to eat a little something."

The idea of food didn't sound appealing. Just the thought of it made me green. I glanced over and said, "No, I'm fine."

The line turned clear a few minutes later. He clamped the tube and capped it after pulling it from my IV, then removed the IV. He pulled the catheter out, which horrified me, and told me I was allowed to move around, but couldn't leave his care until he felt it was _safe. _They took the whole female vamp thing seriously. Were they that paranoid about it? I wondered how vicious and monstrous the women were compared to the men, because I thought the men alone were spectacularly creepy. Then I remembered Jasper's story, the faint details of his tale worked into my musings.

His wife had been turned and eventually became so barbaric she had to be killed. She'd been slaughtered by his coven right in front of him. Were they all like that? I twisted my legs over the bed, the weight taking hold of my body and rocking me forward. I felt like I was going to be sick from the dizziness. "Do you have a bathroom?"

"Through my room. The door just after the bookshelves."

I nodded, placing my bare feet on the cold, white linoleum and stood. I caught my bearings before I could move forward, wanting very much to sit back down. As I moved out of the lab, Carlisle called out to me again. "Leave the door open."

"I need some privacy," I said, holding onto the frame and looking back at him.

He pushed the silver pole and hooks into the corner. "You've already cost the house two doors. I don't want one of mine to be the third. It's private enough. I won't look."

I moved through his living space, around the brown couches, chairs, and tables complete with bronze lamps. I had to pass his extensive book collection to get to the closed door on the opposite side of the snuffed fireplace. When I flicked on the light, I could tell the bathroom wasn't used often. A thick layer of dust coated the counter and knobs on the sink. The toilet had never been used it seemed, and I had to wipe the seat down with filthy, decaying toilet paper that had been sitting on the floor before I would even take a seat next to it. The water inside was murky. I flushed, not able to stand the smell and I heaved twice before I was sure that was all I had in me. It felt better to throw up, to get it over with. A sign that experience was complete. I'd transcended from the sickness plaguing my body, but not my mind.

I moaned into the bowl then glanced up at the sink. Even the wall was dusty except a rectangle above the cloudy silver knobs. I flushed the toilet and stood, examining the odd shape that had eluded the excessive filth. I let out a huff.

A mirror.

A mirror had been there.

I made my exit after running my hands under the water, wiping them onto my gown, still able to feel the sludge. How could someone like Carlisle not clean the bathroom? A doctor, or whatever he was, of all things!

Carlisle had taken a seat on the couch against the lab wall. From there I knew he wasn't able to see into the bathroom and I was relieved he'd held his word because I certainly wasn't thinking about it while in there. "Vomiting isn't uncommon," he said. "It's normal. However, if it occurs tomorrow and you feel sensitive to light, with burning in your chest then that's cause for concern." He placed his ankle on a knee and motioned to the chair adjacent from him. "Please, sit."

I curled a leg under me and slouched against the leather, pulling the taught gown around my knee.

"I feel we've barely spoken." He gave a slight smile.

If Edward had his way then I wouldn't speak to anyone. "This is only my second time meeting you."

He gave a nod.

An awkward silence followed. I didn't know what to say to him. Normally, when I met someone new I had something to go on, a topic. With him, it was different. I didn't know him. I didn't know his interests, or what he found offensive. I rowed in uncharted waters. One topic came to mind. "So, Carlisle," I started, rubbing my hand along the smooth leather. "This female vampire thing is taken pretty seriously around here."

"It's taken seriously everywhere."

No resistance to the subject. A good start. "Are they competition?"

"I wouldn't say competition. They're simply not like us. Their endless, unsatisfied thirst cripples the human population. In turn, it adds strain on our covens. We must seek them out, destroy them before they can slaughter entire cities."

"Why are they like that? Do they not know what they're doing?"

"I have examined them more than any other of my kind, hoping to find why their bodies don't accept vampirism the same as us. Still, I can't understand it. At first they appear like us. They're intelligent, understanding and can interpret the world around them. But, once they feed their thirst dictates and they're not the same. They're uncontrollable unless under manipulation."

I nodded. "So, the women Jake bit... what will happen to them?"

"It's uncertain. I regret not having met Jacob. If I had known he were performing such perfidious acts, this coven would not be separated as it is now. They haven't found a single woman yet, I know that much, but they continue to look."

"How do you know what's going on out there when you're in here?" I asked, narrowing my gaze. Carlisle fascinated me. Though he looked like a vampire with his pale complexion and red eyes, he seemed more than that. He wore his soul on the outside, allowed his humanity to show in every movement and word. He didn't act like Edward, Aro or even Jasper. Even Jasper's empathy slipped, allowing the beast to surface every once in a while.

"I'm clairvoyant. My gift allows me to see the life of others upon meeting them. Every memory and thought are revealed, and from that point on I can see their decisions unfolding as they happen."

"Like Aro."

Carlisle nodded. "I'm a mirror of him. As is Edward. Fledglings develop gifts from sires, an extension of their talent."

"So... are you like Edward? Can you," I pointed to my head, "not read my mind?"

"No, I can't, but I can see your life as it affects not the mind, but time and the universe. That hasn't stopped me from trying to penetrate your thoughts. Truthfully, you're the strongest shield I've ever encountered; able to withstand the powerful telepaths of Aro's lineage, including Aro himself is impressive."

"Then you know the truth about Edward, about what he's done."

"Yes. I knew the moment he decided. Right after Aro took his leave in my lab. Right after I stitched your head." He pointed to my healed wound. "I couldn't in good conscience report my knowledge. As I said before, I care for my existence. Edward would have no issue in taking my head before I could venture upward and inform Aro. I can't tell anyone now. Holding such knowledge is treason, and I'll be executed by an angry mob, especially given my talent, because I knew as he planned. It was easier to keep silent, but now I regret my decision, and I don't regret often. His thirst is becoming insatiable. If you weren't here, this house would be normal."

"So, you're with everyone else, then. You want me dead." Safety no longer seemed certain. If Carlisle wanted me dead then Edward would have no time to stop him, no knowledge, but he would also die. Edward would dispose of him.

"I confess it would be easier, but your life isn't in my hands. It belongs to my master. You're his."

I cringed. I didn't belong to anyone, but no matter how many times I said it, it didn't make a difference. "You think of him as your master, but you regret not telling anyone what he did? You're loyal to him."

He grinned. "I'm loyal to who will keep my head attached to my body. Loyalty comes with a price. Sooner or later we must all pay. You, me, Edward."

I shook my head. Almost horrified he would say such a thing, but horrified wasn't the right word. Sickened was more like it. I hated Edward. I was against him. "I'm not loyal to him."

"Are you not?" Carlisle's grin ticked and he ducked his chin to his collarbone, looking up at me under a pulled brow. "I'm not usually mistaken. Have you not kept his murderous secret? Have you informed anyone of what you know?"

My lips parted, preparing to fight those words, but emptiness prevailed and silence flooded the room. I never had the chance to tell anyone. Why was he saying these things? Was he testing me? Sensations freckled my skin. Maybe it _was _a test. "He's listening now, isn't he?" I asked. "This is a trick. He can hear this conversation. You're trying to get me to admit to something."

"Although a powerful telepath, even Edward has his limits. He's too far away to hear my thoughts or process our conversation through my mind. Why do you think he shoved me into these darkened quarters, far away from his room? The lives of hundreds of vampires play through my head like a broken film, even now during our conversation. It's impossible to stop. Edward didn't need that in addition to the puzzling conversations and thoughts he had to sort. He had enough on his plate."

I nodded, understanding.

"So have you?"

I looked up from my lap. His curious face rested on his palm with a slender index finger sitting in front of his ear. "Have I what?"

"Told anyone else about Aro's and Emmett's murder? You say your loyalty doesn't belong to Edward, so I'm curious who you've given it to. Jasper, perhaps?"

"I haven't given it to anyone," I said, shaking my head. My stomach began to ache, so I hugged my torso in the tight position I'd curled into.

"Yet, you haven't betrayed Edward." Carlisle's voice was so matter-of-fact, so true as he shifted in his seat, lowering his hand onto the arm of the brown leather. "Sounds like loyalty to me."

"No," I began, but couldn't finish. I knew if I spoke I'd fumble around the words.

"You're loyal because you don't wish to feel pain," he continued, "you fear it, as I fear death. It's why we keep our silence, but sooner or later, someone will not be afraid. They will expose this entire enterprise for what it really is: a reign forged from betrayal and blood." He shifted, lowering his ankle from his knee and leaning forward, as though the room were full of hundreds of ears waiting to hear his secrets. "What do you think will happen to us then, Miss Swan? Do you think we'll live long enough to see his head roll? Someone's courage will be our end. That is my biggest fear." His eyes flicked to the ceiling. He stood from his couch and with a change in tone said, "Rest here for a while. I'll let you know when you can leave." With that, he stepped away.

The way his eyes left me and ventured to the ceiling told me Edward was in range to hear us. I didn't want his mind on me through Carlisle's eyes. I wasn't ready to face any part of him, so I was grateful the distance Carlisle put between us. I still felt groggy and unsure of myself sitting in that chair, processing what he'd said. Once, I thought Carlisle light and good, a small credit to that species, but a credit nevertheless. His words were heavy and because of them I was unable to breath without feeling a tremor rattle my chest every once in awhile. I listened to him in his lab, not knowing what he was doing or what to expect when I left that room. I didn't want to believe him, saying I was loyal to Edward because I hadn't told. That wasn't loyalty. It was self-preservation, right?

He emerged from his white room, and called on Demetri to take me away. He instructed me to take it easy and avoid strenuous activity. What did he think I was going to do? Get up and run a marathon?

Demetri escorted me up the stairs and down the halls, always close to my side. When we reached the heavy doors, he didn't approach as I did. Instead he fell behind, glossed over by the lights above. His eyes watched under the deep shadow of his brow. "He's inside," he said.

When I opened one of the doors I saw Edward bathed in the small halo of light around the throne area. Usually rich in the golden glow, I'd never seen the room so dark. The shadows surrounded me as I stepped around the shattered wood of a used-to-be throne. Aro's council had sat there once. I'd seen him before, but couldn't recall his face. I stopped in front of Edward as he leaned over, his elbows on his knees, his head down. Copper flecks shone from his wild hair.

I folded my hands in front of me, taking a breath to calm my runaway nerves. I didn't know what to say. In the light, I caught the sheen of the cut running along my wrist to my forearm. Still, I could feel the acid-like venom pulsing just underneath, as though it were a bee's stinger constantly flushing my veins with poison. I felt better than I had before, though. I felt healthy and more alive than I had in awhile.

"Any other suicidal thoughts running through that fort of yours?" Edward asked. The words bounced around us, filling up the empty space with his morbid question. He lifted his head, the black of his irises beginning to push the white from his eyes.

_His thirst has become insatiable._

"We could get them out of the way if you'd like. Cut yourself. Bleed all over my floor. I'll heal you, then Carlisle can extinguish our every source to save that pathetic life of yours."

"If my life is so pathetic, then why save it? Why didn't you just kill me and get it over with?"

A throaty growl erupted from him. "You _know_ why I won't do that."

"Because of my blood."

"The only human able to satisfy my thirst with a single swallow. The only thing I ever wanted, the first night I tasted you, was to keep you safe from those who wanted to harm you. If you accepted _us_, what we were together, then we could've lived peacefully." He rose, the quick motion causing the breath to catch in my throat. "But, you continue to fight. You fight me, fate, the inevitable. You can't hold it off forever, nor do I have the patience. It's wearing thin."

"And what's the inevitable? Death? Trust me, I'm not fighting it anymore. In fact, why don't we call Demetri in here and talk about your little escapade a few days ago? That should make for interesting conversation." _Who's loyal now?_

"You wish to die under torture?"

"_This _is torture," I said then ground my teeth. "Every moment I'm here is agony. I just want to die. Wasn't this," I flashed my scarred wrist, "a good indication?" Suddenly, I felt disgusted with myself. I couldn't believe I went through with it. "I would rather die than stay another minute here with you."

I touched my fingers to my collarbone as he came to rest in front of me. The smooth complexion of his skin seemed rough under the light. The shadows traced his features. The light accented his cheekbones. The wide black of his eyes searched mine, and then he stepped closer. "If I were kind, I could give you such a wish," he said, raising his arm. A sharp, cold piece of metal slid down my bottom lip. On his thumb was a shining ring, like a piece of armor extending past his nail into a claw-like point.

I shivered at the sight. "If you were kind, I'd be dead." My body tingled, my stomach flipped and soured when his body flushed against mine. The claw raking over my throat as he flattened his palm against my neck and collar.

An arm snaked between my bicep and ribcage, sinking into the flesh below my shoulder blade, holding me to him. His nearness felt wrong and unnatural. My hands found his biceps, feeling the cold flesh under the gray shirt he wore and as much as I wanted to push him away, I knew I couldn't. If Edward wanted to kill me, then I'd let him.

"You're unaware of what you do." His lips became thick, his teeth more sharp than before as he looked down on me. Though he was staring into my eyes, I felt he wasn't speaking to me. His voice was distant. "I must fight this urge every second. For months I have escaped temptation, but I am on fire. A taste would cure me."

Every hair stood on end as the metal claw ghosted on my jaw as his fingers explored. "It's what you want. So do it. Get it over with." His grip on my back tightened, gluing our forms together as he began to bend. The ring pressed against the soft tissue below my ear and jaw. My voice nearing a whisper, I said, "Wait," and gathered my hair into my fingertips to move it away from the old wound on my neck, exposing myself. I didn't expect that upon entering the room. I never thought I'd beg Edward to bite me, to be so involved in his own desperate thirst that he'd take my life.

I felt every inch of breath escape my lungs, felt the distance the escape put between us and how it disappeared when I inhaled again. There was nothing I could do except wait. Skin skirted my jaw. His nose found my throat and it was there he inhaled. I squeezed my lids shut. I could almost feel the bite he'd once given me. The same sensations plagued me. I waited for the metal to bury into my skin. Instead, his cold, wet tongue lavished my throat with a single swipe.

He pushed me away suddenly, stepping back. I nearly fell stumbled, but I caught my balance. Edward's obsidian eyes were wide and never-ending under his furrowed brow. His mouth parted. "You're already dead," he hissed.

Chills pushed against my skin. No.

"You're someone else! That blood has soiled you, sickened you. You're disgusting... just like the rest of _them._" He threw his weight into his throne behind him, toppling the high back over with a single wood-splitting swipe. "Do you realize what you've done to yourself?" he roared. "To me? What I had to do to save your life? You foolish girl! You've ruined it!" he screamed. "You've ruined everything! What will I drink now?"

He destroyed the two remaining thrones. Piece by piece he tore them apart and flung them across the room. The wood echoed with each hit and clanked against the floor. Soon, Edward took to the room itself, ripping tiles away from grout and slinging them against the walls! Each shard clipped holes where they hit, as though each piece would bring the house crumbling down around us. I cowered in the corner, fearing being caught in the madness and hit by flying debris, but there was nowhere safe anymore. No place I could hide from the hysteria as I watched Edward slip into all-consuming decay.

* * *

Believe it or not, there's only three/four more chapters left. Wow. We're getting close.

Thanks to Livie for taking her time on her vacay to give her opinions. Sharon, as always, is wonderful and insightful.

Thank you for reading! =)


	27. Lust's First Kiss

**We are punished for our refusals. Every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind, and poisons us. **  
**The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification.**  
**Nothing remains then but the recollection of a pleasure, or the luxury of a regret. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.**  
**Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.**  
- _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, Oscar Wilde

* * *

**XXVII  
Lust's First Kiss**

I never knew walls could be so easily broken, or floors shredded without a second thought. It may have taken weeks to build that room, to lay every tile below our feet, and erect such a tower above with the chandelier hanging down. It took Edward minutes to rip it apart, minutes to separate dreams from reality. He'd clawed and ripped until every inch had been destroyed. A rag of its former glory, the throne room had been shredded. Chunks were missing from the floor and walls.

To say I wasn't scared would be a lie. I was fucking terrified. Yes, I wanted death, but Edward's anger couldn't be contested or challenged. I cowered in a corner, fearing being hit by a flying tile. He'd lost his mind, and nobody could stop it. I could only wait for him to calm down from his unnecessary fit. Until then I breathed normally to keep my body calm, but I couldn't be cured of my racing heart.

_You're already dead._

Those words. With each repeat, his voice became more angry. I could see his face as he spoke them, an exact scene in my head tumbling back to the beginning. His lips parted, sneered. The stony, gray flesh around his eyes squinched as he fixed his solid gaze on me. _You're already dead,_ he'd said. Dead. Already. If only. To him I was but a useless bag of skin with disgusting blood. I wasn't the monument I used to be, not in my state, and not in his. His eyes told me this, said everything. The wholly, consuming black screamed starvation, and according to Jasper a starved vampire's suffer consisted of an intolerable burn, concentrated in the throat. As long as he starved nothing mattered. Nothing except his thirst.

Maybe that explained his tantrum. His burn had become severe, intolerable, so he lashed out.

He sent a deafening roar into the room, and punched his hand through the cream wall across the ravaged space. The structure didn't have a fighting chance. It gave to Edward's throws, even giving a little more than the size of his fist. Holes so large two heads could fit inside. I expected him to slam into it again, but he didn't. He lowered his hand and took several steps away, turning to the double doors I came through a few moments earlier, the only structure untouched by his rampage.

A single door opened and Carlisle stepped into the room. The lights above touched his gold hair, creating a halo on top of his head. "You wished to see me?" He stopped a few feet shy of Edward in the middle of the room. A testament to their mind reading ability.

A smack resounded. Carlisle's face turned to one side as a red slash appeared across his cheek. Edward's claw ring had buried itself in his skin when Edward slapped him. "You idiot. What have you done?"

A small stream of blood began to trickle from the wound. It hadn't even made it to his chin before the fissure was already closed, cured by venom I assumed. I touched the wall behind me, leaning against it. I didn't feel I was far enough away for such an interaction taking place. "My lord," Carlisle's gaze slid to me for a brief moment, "may we talk privately?"

"I do not wish to speak privately, or quietly! I'm far too angry for that."

Carlisle wiped the blood from his face. "You asked me to save the girl."

Edward stepped forward. "Yes, save her! Not poison her! Are you set out to ruin me?"

"In all these years, have I ever set out to ruin you?" Carlisle's face began to tense. In all their years, however long that was, he might not have thought about it. But, if our discussion downstairs was anything to go off of then he'd thought about it lately. He'd imagined someone taking Edward's head. Could he hide his thoughts as Jasper did? What was he thinking? "It was out of my hands. I did what I had to do to save her life."

"She smells disgusting!"

I smelled fine!

"The effect is temporary, Master. You know this."

Edward turned his back on him and began to pace the torn floor the way a pent up, wild-animal would do. "I gave you a pint of her blood. That, along with the anti-venom should have fixed it!"

"There was nothing I could do. It was too much this time. Your venom is too potent. Nothing is a quick fix. It was a bag of donor blood or the furnace, and you wished me to save her." A small pause. Carlisle kept a steady eye on Edward as he roamed the broken floor. Back and forth. "I know your pain. I understand your situation better than anyone. I know what her blood means to you. May I make a suggestion?"

"Speak, then!"

"I know how your throat burns, how you wish to be rid of the fire. Consider this an excuse to withdraw from your siren." He glanced at me again. It was brief. "Allow your thirst to be quenched by another donor. We have three stock rooms remaining. They are awake, and they are in dire need of draining before too much effort must be given to their demise."

The other girls. My lower lip trembled. Edward stopped his obsessive movement and looked to Carlisle. "Drink from another? I've already done that. They were nothing. Hollow, empty victuals with no life or sustenance. They left me aching. I wish to be cured now!" The word penetrated me to the core.

"Indeed. I understand, sir. Allow your golden swan to sit, rejuvenate the taste you crave so badly. A week, maybe two and she'll be tolerable. Then, consume her slowly with that dragon claw." He barely pointed to Edward's hand.

"I shall think on it while I decide what to do with you. Get out of my sight. Go back to your darkened quarters and wait for me there."

Carlisle bowed then took his leave. Once more I was alone again with the raging monster. His neck arched as he tilted his face to the ceiling. Ash-colored lids slid over darkened eyes. The silence grew harsh.

"Demetri!" he screamed, his fists clenched at his sides. His fangs were apparent, gleaming in the gold light above him. It only took a moment before the doors swung open. Demetri appeared in front of Edward, his eyes scanning the broken room, but he bent at his waist as his master's face set upon him. "Bring them to me. All of them."

Even across the torn floor I could see Demetri's face began to stir with uncertainty as he straightened. My brow pulled down with anticipation. I couldn't save them, and it sucked. "Sir, Jasper has yet to return with a single woman. They're our last..."

Edward gripped onto the open collar of Demetri's burgundy, button-up shirt. Demetri flinched, but did nothing to prevent Edward from pulling him closer. He bared his teeth in his face, lowering his brow as he stared at him. "Do you think me unfit to govern this house and the tax it carries?"

"No... sir."

"Then why do you question my order? Bring them to me!" He shoved Demetri toward the doors with a growl resonating deep within his chest. Demetri straightened his collar with quick efficiency, bowed then made his exit, closing the doors behind him. Edward turned on his heel, his tense fists forming again by his side as his eyes found me in the shadows. Darkness had swallowed him, leaving no trace of white behind. He'd become a tyrant. A soulless ruler of a small stead that he thought controlled the world and the people in it. A lie. He couldn't direct the outcome of the truth. If his coven knew about him then he would fall, just as Carlisle said.

Did he know something I didn't? Was he trying to tell me the future? I wasn't sure. I found Carlisle difficult to read, to understand. His complexities, the way he spoke of things I didn't know, intimidated me. I found him more kind than Edward, but there had been a piece of him that frightened me. I was unsure if I'd ever understand that piece.

Edward dropped his hollow gaze. He looked at me as though I wasn't a prized possession, but a nuisance waiting to be squashed at the right time. "You will see how your actions affect everything around you, Miss Swan." A rough edge deepened his voice. "When the sun sets tonight, you will have known the true meaning of horror."

I knew horror. It had become his face, his eyes, his voice. Everything about him. I wished to sink into the tile he'd ripped apart, to melt away under his shining, blackened glare. Everything awful in the world existed because he did. Every nightmare. Every module, every notch of detestable movement in my universe was because he existed. He was horror incarnate. He alone brought intolerable pain.

"I have a good idea what it means," I said.

He smiled, but the amused expression bent, framing the keen angles of his teeth, "You know absolutely nothing, you sad, little, shivering girl."

I allowed my fingers to touch the column in front of me, one of many that escaped Edward's destructive fit. I leaned against it, beginning to feel an onslaught of weakness take my knees. "You exist. As far as I'm concerned that's all I need to know."

He squared his shoulders. "You know nothing of my existence. You know not what I sacrificed for the sake of king and country! What I endured to become this thing standing before you! I am a god among men, you sniveling snake, and you will watch as I show you the power I possess! You think you're safe because you bear the blood of a siren, but as far as I'm concerned you're nothing. You've grown dull to me. A bug running across my floor!"

"For nothing you sure have kept me around for a long time."

"I have killed for you! I thought you to be worth it! Every vampire who has died at my hands in the past few months has died because of you! Every _innocent _I have killed has been because of you! You have given me reason to do so!"

The doors swung open again, and my racing heart nearly stopped at the sight of women being pushed inside. They filed in, a large group of them! There must have been twenty! I pushed off the wall, my lips parting and my eyes wide. I couldn't save them.

Edward began to descend the few steps to the main floor. His black eyes caught mine. "And you will have caused it once again."

"Don't!" I screamed as he approached them. "Leave them alone!"

He ignored me. "Demetri! Hold the doors!"

Demetri slammed the doors closed and pressed his body against them as the women began to stir. They were awake, not under hypnosis. Dark circles encompassed their eyes. Their bones protruded from their worn and discolored skin. I felt their panic become my own as they watched Edward advance toward them. They began to scatter, shouting and screaming. Their declarations echoed off the walls.

"No!" I screamed as Edward caught a blond woman by her hair and pulled her toward him. The bodies around her broke in every direction as he tilted her neck and lunged into her. She swiped at him, but her throws were unsuccessful. Her fingers buried and found purchase into his copper hair.

My stomach twisted with each scream, and he extinguished them one by one, pulling their coiled thin bodies from the split tiles. They gave up. They didn't fight. Tears fell from their eyes as they pleaded with him to not hurt them, to not kill them, but they didn't know Edward. He didn't care. He was incapable of empathy. He showed them that as he drove his fangs into their pliable necks. When he drained them, he threw their bodies to the floor and they hit like limp dolls, each with a horrid thud. One by one they fell. And with the death of each woman, the commotion drained from the room.

Nausea consumed me at the sight of so many dead bodies. Their hair spilled onto the tile in place of blood. Drained. Dead. Truly gone.

"Take them to the furnace," Edward instructed, swiping his wrist across his lips.

Demetri nodded and opened the doors. He tossed two bodies over his shoulders and hauled them away without thinking twice.

Edward faced me then. His cheeks, chin, neck, and chest were stained with murder. He wiped the back of his arm across his mouth again, spreading the stain and pushing it onto his forearm. Every life he had taken ran through his body, and my heart broke for them. I hadn't known horror, the agonizing pain of it. The sadness it brought. The stench it gave. The room filled with the scent of metal. A heaviness hung in the air and pressed me to the floor. I slid down the wall, unable to stay on my feet any longer. My knees had grown weary, my arms flaccid.

"Look what you made me do," he said, surveying the broken, littered floor. The silence compared to the full power of their voices caused me to shiver. Only a moment ago they had been screaming. He crouched in front of me. "All the lives lost on your account. Even King Henry would be impressed."

I turned my head away as a finger slid down my cheek. His eyes were beginning to lighten. The consuming blackness had been beaten back, but the cost was high. Carlisle's suggestion tamed Edward's thirst, and kept the dangerous female vampires, a fear of his, at bay. I wished for nothing more than for some overpowering vampire to rip Edward's head from his body. "Fuck you, Edward."

With a finger on my chin, he swiveled my head. Hideous monster. He smelled of blood. The dragon claw on his thumb tickled the lines below my nostrils then fell to the crevice between my lips, hooking into the tender flesh there. I nearly gasped. Then he smiled, revealing his teeth, saturated with slaughter. "Perhaps, mon petite cygne*. In due time."

* * *

Time decayed. A few days passed. Then a week. Each day, Edward's mood began to fall once more. The first day, he'd played the piano while I rested in bed. We spoke very little. He ordered Demetri to bring me food six times a day, and I ate well. I couldn't deny my hunger. I was human after all, and the pain of starvation was nearly intolerable.

I ate. I read books when he gave me permission. I did very little as instructed by Carlisle. Mostly, I slept due to boredom. I sat by the window and wished to go outside, to feel the sunlight and warmth on my face. I craved it. Needed it. Edward paid no attention to my actions. At first he enthusiastically worked on his compositions, finding the right chords and melodies. While the music started off as a small comfort, it became increasingly old natured. I even heard his choppy, unfinished pieces in my dreams.

Just as I began to grow tired of them, he played them less and less. For three straight days he played. After the third day, he paced his room, his eyes on the floor in front of him. After the fourth day he stopped and stilled. He picked up a book. He put it down. All the while his eyes began to grow dark again. I knew to fear that time, to quiet and still when his eyes began to overwhelm with black. At first, it was just his irises, then it grew. He looked as though he were a cat, stalking it's prey. Eyes always open. Alert.

He stilled, and didn't move for long periods of time and when I woke the sixth morning I found him at the window with sunglasses sitting on his straight nose. A marble-like statue soaking in the indirect sunlight. "Seven days," he said, "and nothing. There has been nothing."

I swallowed and squinted, running a palm over my face. "Seven days?" I repeated. At first I didn't know what he was talking about, but it quickly solidified in my sleepy mind. Jasper and the rest of the coven. There had been no word from them. None of them had come back. None of them had disturbed the maddening silence we endured. "Nothing," I said, agreeing. There had been nothing.

I began to wonder if he made up the story about Jake biting the women, but it didn't make sense for him to do so. Then again, there wasn't much that made sense anymore.

"They should've been back by now. I should've heard something. Something's wrong." He moved to his desk, tearing the glasses from his face and throwing them down onto the empty surface. "I must see Carlisle. You'll come with me."

I nodded. I couldn't be left in that room by myself. I was afraid of the silence and the company it gave. When I was alone, all I wanted to think about was how to escape, how to free myself from my prison (call it old habits), but my prison festered inside my body, ran through my veins. I couldn't escape myself. I couldn't outrun _me_, and I knew death couldn't be an option. The thought of going through another round of cutting my wrist made my stomach hurt. I never thought of being so afraid of it before, but the unknown possibility of becoming a vampire if I died left me in a predicament. I didn't want to be like Edward. I didn't want to murder all those innocent people because of a thirst.

The halls were so quiet, so still. There didn't exist a single disturbance from our destination. No voices or heartbeats, or creatures to pass in the darkened, narrow halls. The house had grown as empty as an old, creepy manor should. The only sound was Edward's shoes rapping against the wood floors. A door opened ahead of us, and there was Demetri, bowing his head with a slow gracefulness as Edward and I passed through.

"What of my coven?" Edward asked, his words sharp and low. His question echoed through the dining room as we ventured through the large space to get to the other set of double doors leading out. The table was bare, unused since Aro was murdered. As we walked through, the emptiness chilled me, as though there was nothing left in the world except me and the leeches next I walked beside.

"Still no word, my lord," Demetri said. "The same as earlier."

Edward stopped and turned on his heel to face the creature behind us. His expression bordered on frightening. An English accent, though faint, touched his words."You've heard nothing at all?"

Demetri shook his head then bowed it once more, as though he were afraid to answer. "No, sir."

"We can not wait any longer for them to return. We must find them. I fear the worst has set in, we just have yet to discover it."

"Yes, sir." And Demetri was gone. He traced our steps from the other door as we began to move forward again. Soon, we were descending the stairs into the dungeon-like basement. Edward didn't even knock on Carlisle's door. He burst in without so much a warning as he called out for him upon entering.

I'd never seen Carlisle's room bathed in shadow. The lights had always lit up the collection of books on his shelves, the dark, wooden walls encasing the golden light. Never had they held shadow.

"Carlisle?" he asked into the dark. He paused for only a moment before entering. A second later, it lit up with a click, a single lamp flooded the room with a soft amber glow at Edward's touch. It was then I noticed the shelves. The books, once perfectly vertical, had toppled over as though someone removed volumes and never placed them back. The air felt different. Empty. Strange.

"Carlisle?" Edward opened the closed door to the lab. It, too, was dark until he flipped on the wall light. The overhead lamps flickered then blinded me as they came to life in the white space. I touched the door frame, leaning into it to keep my balance from the wave of sudden dizziness.

On the table in front of us, the same I'd been stitched up on, was an envelope. Edward reached for it, taking it up and ripping it open. He discarded it on the floor, where it landed upright, revealing his name scrawled with marvelous calligraphy. I picked it up, turning the smooth paper over in my hands while Edward read, his face changing gradually. His lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes narrowing under his furrowed brow as he squeezed the paper into his fist.

I felt unsettled, a buzz in my chest stirring me to move and I should have because he exploded. He dropped the letter and tore to the sink and counter, pushing all the supplies off with his arms and hands. Everything there, cotton balls, tools in silver-like boxes crashed to the floor with a tremendous noise. I dropped the envelope, startled at the commotion. He continued to erupt, flipping over tables and pulling countertops away from the cabinets! His sinewy muscles flexed on his arms, a growl shaking the room as he tore it up. With quick movements, I grabbed the letter from the floor and scurried out of the lab and into the den area, uncrumpling the letter and holding it under the lamp light so I could read. The wonderful calligraphy continued there.

_My Dearest Edward,_

_By now, you will have realized the decrepit state of your newly acquired coven, as I can imagine this is why you have come to the depths of the manor to speak with me. I do not regret our friendship over the years, but you have not been yourself, and one could never fathom the lengths you would go to procure your current wealth. I have told no one of your enterprise, but it is now, in this time, I find a reason to fear the voices in my head. I value my own existence, and I have no choice but to leave you to your own devices. We do not share the same beliefs in faith, but I must hold true to my own and leave you to the Devil._

_I'm truly sorry, my friend. You will find treason in my abandonment, but your stubbornness and madness have outweighed your reason. You would never have let me leave. You, too, have been a prisoner for far too long. I pray you find peace from the bewitchment you've fallen upon, and understanding in my actions. I hold no doubt we shall meet again one day, either in this life or another, if that is what God has intended. For now, I suggest you run._

_Carlisle_

Edward continued to rage through the lab, as I heard him rather than saw, except for the faint shadow across the floor and wall casting to the hall door. What could've changed within the past few days? Did they figure out what he did? Would they come for him and kill me? My stomach turned. That was why he left. That was why Carlisle fled. The coven knew and they were coming. Slowly, everything around us crumbled. My fate was tied to his and as he destroyed the lab, I began to see it darken on the horizon.

The crashes and bangs stopped, the silence and stillness took over once more and there was Edward, stepping out into the room, red dripping down his forearms and onto the floor in small spatters. He pushed his fingers through his hair then straightened his shoulders, as though forming his composure again, but there was no use. There was disarray and anger that could never be cured with simple motions. He walked out without me, maybe forgetting I was there. I left the lights on, not wanting to be alone in the creepy dark and followed after him the letter still in hand.

"I wonder how long he has been gone," I said, chasing him up the stairs. I felt almost as panicked as he looked.

The tone in his voice was different. Lower. Deeper. "Not now, Bella. I have to think."

He pushed open the door to the stairwell with more force than necessary, holding it open while I passed through. When I was clear he slammed it, and I swore I felt the entire house shake. He passed me, leading the way as though I was going too slow for him. I saw his angular jaw tense and tick and we reached the front hall as Demetri appeared around the corner.

"I can't reach Jasper, sir. He's not picking up his cell."

Edward stopped in front of Demetri, placing his palms on his shoulders. "It's too late now," he said. "Did you see Carlisle leave?"

"Yes, sir. He left early this morning."

Edward's shoulders dropped and he screamed, "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought he'd be back, sir."

The movement was swift. Edward grappled his fingers into Demetri's head and twisted. The unnatural crack of bone horrified me and my lips parted. He ripped his head from his neck. The headless, black suited body sank to the ground.

Edward dropped Demetri's wide-eyed expression next to decapitated form. I felt sick.

"These fools."

I covered my mouth, unable to look away from the ceiling. "If he left this morning then they'll be here soon. We should run. Carlisle said to run." When the words left my lips, I wanted to do so. I wanted to bolt from that house and pretend I was never associated with any of it. A lie I couldn't fake.

"I will not run!" He turned on me, yelling his declaration which caused me to step back. "This is my house! It will not fall apart under me!"

Instead of cowering from the intensity, I firmed. "Do you know what this means, why he left? They're coming to kill us because of you! So don't yell at me! I'm not the one who did this!"

His lips parted and his eyes softened. He looked away, to the wall behind me, to the floor. "Maybe you are." In a swift movement I was pushed against the wall, my body expelling the air from my lungs from the forceful hit and the letter left my hand. I gasped for air, my lungs ached and starved as he leaned against me, pushing his forearm into my throat. My body began to turn against me, depriving me of oxygen and giving under his violent push. His face was against mine, his black eyes brimming with anger and his mouth sneering. "You're the one who made me do all this," he said as I pushed on his forearm, not budging him. My head began to pound. "If not for you, I would not have woken from my terrible sleep. I would have stayed an obedient servant to my master."

The weight on my neck increased and I gasped. I thought my eyes would explode! My throat was collapsing! I pushed against him, wanting to fight the pain, but part of me surrendered to the anger in his eyes and on his lips. I surrendered to the idea of death, with the weight of him bearing onto my throat. Needles pricked in every pore, jabbing one after the other.

"You were summoned from Hell," he said, baring his teeth.

I coughed and gasped as he eased the weight, relief beginning to claim my throat, allowing air to pass into my lungs, but I couldn't catch it. I couldn't hold onto the precious oxygen. It became as fleeting as my thoughts. He had drawn weight from the forearm at my throat to another resting by my head, leaning into me and this scared me more than the prospect of death because the look in his eyes was hunger, more than anything I'd ever known or seen.

"What is your greatest fear?" he asked. Each word drove out tufts of cool air from his lungs. His sickly sweet breath couldn't be ignored. Then his dead lips were pressed to mine, and he moved me so roughly, I thought I would fall through the wall, his mouth coveting and dominating. I kept my lips tight together, until he swayed them to part and he was there, in my mouth and his taste lingered. Fire and sweetness of earth invaded, tortured, but I couldn't push him away. I didn't have the strength!

He kissed my chin, licking and nipping the bit of flesh with his teeth, and I quivered, fearing the intolerable pain he could inflict. Coolness floated down my throat, below my ear and I felt him shift into me. Hard muscles flexed and prodded my tender skin. He would break me if he persisted and the horror I felt in that moment exceeded anything I'd ever felt before. Edward had never touched me in that way. He never pressed his lips to my skin unless he meant to bite. This was different.

"Stop," I whispered, barely able to speak through the grogginess. He didn't listen, he continued his pursuit, chasing the lines of my throat to my shoulder, exasperating into my ear, the icy breath pinching and pushing me. I wished him to stop, begged him in my mind; the one thing he could never have or possess. I trembled, my breath began to increase, but my heart stuttered. His forearm, flat on the wall, cradled the side of my face. Skin brushed skin. Bare and complex. I fluttered for a moment, but buried it deep within my walls, not daring feel those things. Edward couldn't make me feel that way. I hated him. Hated him with the strongest emotions I could ever muster.

I felt his mouth part, the smoothness of teeth against my neck caused me to tense. A smile. "So that's it," he said, "that's what you fear most." His pursed lips placed a peck on my throat, and I closed my eyes against it. My lip trembled and unsought tears stung the back of my throat. "What I gave up in Rome." His breath, a chortle, coated my neck, stinging the clamminess his tongue had left on my skin. "It's mine, too. My fear. The physical motion, the warmth, the smell of your blood collecting just under your skin," he sucked in a breath, falling into me, "tortures me. Tempts me. I fear I won't be able to withstand the need to bite. Even now. Your blood is in season."

I shivered under him. The cold, stony weight held me in the moment, but I wanted to be elsewhere. I swallowed the fear which had amassed in my throat.

Yes. I feared him and me. Us. That monster. That killer. I feared the way he looked at me with passion and contempt. His unpredictability. With such words, he sent those thoughts into my head and fluttering through my body. That revulsion and dread. His fingers flicked on my throat, under my ear. "But I can find another like you," he whispered. I froze. "For I can bare it no longer."

I knew the touch of his lips, the way they parted, the coolness of them. I knew the feel of his teeth and the pain they could inflict and it was then I died because his mouth widened, found purchase, and sank deep into my flesh. My breath caught. The burn flooded my veins, seizing my body. His weight bore into me, his palm flattened against my cheek, holding me to him. He drank the life from me, the pull touching the bottom of my feet and toes. I squirmed, unable to help myself, but he jerked me to him, pressing my back against the wall and pinning me as he drank.

Life began to slip. This was it. Death would become me. I would fall away, become nothing. I wouldn't have to worry about pain anymore, or the life I wouldn't lead. All I had to do was tolerate the burn until darkness took me, and the shadows began to stir.

I opened my eyes wide, staring at the ceiling over us. The white, smooth surface. The dim light from the receded bulbs. It grew dimmer, still. He hummed between the thick swallows. The fire engulfed me, held my breath and screams between his punishing lips. The shadows quickened. Life began to fade. My knees felt weaker. My arms grew numb, and a cold set in through my bones.

The final cusp of life. The last breath.

My eyes shut through the burn flicking through my veins. Soon, I wouldn't feel it, took pleasure in knowing he couldn't follow where I was going.

"Edward!" His name seemed as though it came from far away, yet it echoed through the halls. It was angry, commanding, and I knew the voice. It seized me, stilled me because I knew what was to follow. He would blame me for all of it because I couldn't protect her.

I couldn't open my eyes. They were too heavy, but I felt him pull away. His palm and weight left me and I fell into nothing, so gravity took hold. I couldn't save myself with arms or hands. I couldn't correct the imbalance I felt, or the weakness turning my knees to mush. I thought I would fall forever, but when I hit I wanted to scream out. My chest heaved, and my cheek caved. I'd fallen to the floor. I wasn't dead.

I couldn't open my eyes, but I heard the scuffle of shoes across the floor and through the acid corroding my insides.

"Where's Alice?"

"Give me word of my coven! Why has no one reported?!"

"There's nothing to report! Now, where's Alice?!"

"Don't you lie to me, goddammit! You were to bring them back! You were to corral those insufferable sycophants. Now you lead mutiny?"

_Bang!_

"Everyone knows what you've done! They grew suspicious!"

"You poisoned their minds! What of our deal? Did you forget your allegiance to me regardless of state for keeping your little secret affair? You could've been great! But you threw yourself away for a warm whore."

_Bang!_

"Not much different than you, my lord."

I grew colder. Shivered. I opened my eyes, but the surroundings were blurry, fading. Edward pinned Jasper against the wall.

"I ought to kill you now. I should've killed you when I learned of you and Alice! That would've put you out of your misery."

A new tone entered Jasper's voice. Anger, fear. "And what have you done with her?"

"I'm sure you can figure it out. There may be something left of her in the basement. Tiny, gray pieces..."

"You son of a bitch!"

"Careful. I may not allow you a quick death." A pause. "Come to think of it, I'd be granting you a luxury. You betrayed me. You deserve a life of misery for all you've done, for your empathy!"

Edward flung Jasper to the floor, but he rose quickly as Edward began to step away. My eyes closed. "You're a disgrace to our species! You deserve to suffer the death of that girl, and you shall do so in the streets! Take that piece of trash to the furnace. May that be the last thing you do, then get the fuck out of my house!"

One last vision. Had he been talking about me? I opened my eyes again. He rounded the corner then he was gone. I blinked and moaned. Still alive. I wanted to tell him to finish me off before he burned me, to not subject me to fire and singe me for real. I moaned, and Jasper looked back at me for a moment before screaming, "This isn't over, Edward! You'll have your end!"

Shadows solidified, and Jasper was there, pulling me into his steady arms. I watched the smooth ceiling pass overhead for the last time, praying death would find me and show mercy. Mercy for the fight I couldn't give, for the life I couldn't lead.

Death was gracious. Kind. Darkness finally took me.

.

.

.

.

.

Fire. Endless fire engulfed me, shaped my form. I thought I'd passed, but I was very much alive in the flares of the sun. My skin felt raw, charred and turning to ash! I wanted to scream I wasn't dead as my flesh melted from bones. Scorched and burned me. They were burning me alive!

_I'm not dead! I'm not dead!_

I wished to be. I thought I'd freed myself from fire. Kill me! Fire! Kill me quickly! End this! My legs were gone. Why wasn't I dead? Why didn't I die? There was nothing left of me. I couldn't perish. Burning. My arms, fingers!

I only wished to die. Had I wanted life so badly I couldn't achieve death? I didn't want to live anymore. I wished to die. God, the fire!

The crackle sounded around me, popping, sizzling. The furnace had blackened me. I'd become a pile of rubble, yet I lived on. A voiceless soul trapped inside old, warped bones.

Unable to move, unable to feel my breath or heart, the tortuous inferno never ended. A long, drawn out sigh of pain, disguising all manners of life within until it waned. I began to recognize the beat of my own heart. With each pulse, the fires licked my body, but shortened. The beating slowed. Death began to seep in. The end mounted in my ears as my heart counted the rhythm ticks. A fleshy clock. I had seconds left. That was it. I'd be no more. I'd made peace with my efforts. Through the embers I knew that, accepted my death, and more than anything welcomed it.

My pulse slowed even more. It dropped. Skipped. Another. I prepared myself. Took one final breath. Gone. My heart silenced. My body stilled. My life ended, but I remained.

The fire raged slowly, until I no longer felt stiff. Numbness subsided, and I felt the air around me. Against my... skin. I had skin.

A voice, the familiar ring sounded. It had been close, but the words were almost foreign, yet I knew their meaning. "She's waking."

I opened my eyes.

I lived.

* * *

**A few notes:  
Sorry for any mistakes you may have encountered. They're inevitable.  
****Awesome thanks to Livie79 and Sharon! Y'all rock!  
**(_If you're haven't read Glycerine by Liv [doubtful cause it's good and angsty], now's the time to get started! It's almost complete. You'll find it in my favorites._)**  
**

**Massive thank you's to _you_ for reading and sticking with me for this long! I appreciate it!**

**. . .**

***mon petite cygne is French, meaning "my little swan"**

**. . .**

**MUSIC:**_** I Could Be Nothing - **_**Great Lake Swimmers**


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